Lilac and the Switchback - by Cordelia Jensen (Hardcover)

About the Book

"Told in verse, Lilac has always lived with her aunt and uncle, but when her aunt becomes pregnant, her best friend drifts away, and Lilac feels no one in her life wants her, she tries to reconnect with her estranged father"--

Book Synopsis

A riveting middle grade novel in verse for any kid who has ever felt unwanted, uncomfortable, or unsure of where they fit in.

Lilac has lived with her aunt, uncle, and cousin ever since her mom died. She already feels like an "extra" member of a family that doesn't have enough money or space.

Then she finds out her aunt is pregnant with twins, due soon after Lilac turns thirteen. How could they possibly want her around when they'll have two more kids in their crowded home? As she struggles to process her feelings about the pregnancy, Lilac drifts apart from her best friend Callie, leaving Lilac lonelier than ever.

In a timely twist of fate, Lilac discovers a check sent by her estranged father. Maybe he is the family she's been looking for... and maybe it's worth risking everything to find him. After all, how much does the "extra" kid really have to lose?

Poignant, and full of both growing pains and healing, this sensitive story told in lyrical verse is just right for fans of Jacqueline Woodson and Andrea Beatriz Arango.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Review Quotes

"A truly heartwarming story, Lilac's journey had me reaching for tissues by the end. Readers will cheer as she discovers a path she doesn't have to navigate alone." --NCTE Notable Verse Novelist and Award-Winning Author Jessica Vitalis

"Lilac's voice leaps off the page. With evocative poems and relatable characters, this is a beautiful verse novel about family, friendship, and one girl's deeply moving journey toward figuring out where she fits."--Laurie Morrison, author of Keeping Pace and Up for Air

"Beautifully written and lyrically captivating, Lilac and Switchback doesn't shy away from the challenge of change, the complications of friends and family, and the discovery of the natural world." --Chris Baron, award-winning author of The Magical Imperfect

"Beautiful, nuanced, and compelling. Jensen deftly navigates the verse novel form to create a heart-centered story of family, friendship, and belonging. If you've ever felt like you're too much, or out of place, or extra, this book will speak straight to your heart." --Melanie Crowder, author of National Jewish Book Award Finalist Audacity

"An insightful portrait of a family on the cusp of change and a girl on a journey of self-discovery. Lilac blazed a trail to my heart!" --Laura Shovan, co-author of Sydney Taylor Notable book A Place at the Table

About the Author

Cordelia Jensen has an MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and has published three verse novels: Skyscraping, The Way the Light Bends, and Every Shiny Thing, co-authored with Laurie Morrison. Her books have received starred reviews, state award list nominations, and NCTE Notable Verse Novel recognition. Cordelia has taught creative writing in a variety of settings, including Bryn Mawr College, Germantown Friends School, The Writing Barn and The Kelly Yang Project, and currently teaches verse novel classes for The Highlights Foundation.