Funny, warm, and moving, Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index is a contemporary YA novel about loss, how deeply we can know others, and making our own happiness; perfect for fans of Sara Zarr and Jandy Nelson’s The Sky Is Everywhere.Sixty-five days after the death of her older sister, sixteen-year-old Juniper Lemon discovers the break-up letter addressed to “You” Camilla wrote the day she died. Juni is shocked—she knew nothing of this You, and now the gaping hole in her life that was her sister feels that much bigger. She’s determined to uncover the identity of You and deliver the letter. Maybe that would help fill the hole, even if only a bit.
But what Juniper doesn’t expect is that in searching for You she will unearth other notes and secrets—and that may be just what she needs to sort out her own mess.
Julie Israel lives in Portland, Oregon, and holds a BA in creative writing. After a stint teaching English in Japan, she returned to her native state to write fiction full-time. When not writing, she is likely reading, making art, or learning one of too many languages to keep straight.
Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index is her debut novel.
"Heartwarming . . . A well-told story of teen struggles and grief that will resonate with readers."—
School Library Journal,
starred review"Israel handles the long, painful process of negotiating grief gently and realistically while cleverly interweaving the light mystery of 'you's' identity throughout, keeping readers guessing as Juni steps closer to finding closure."—
Publishers Weekly"Genuine and satisfying. An earnest debut about coping with loss and trauma."—
Booklist"A poignant slice-of-life story. Readers watch Juniper deal with her grief and learn positive ways to cope with difficult situations. This moving, debut novel will appeal to fans of realistic fiction."—
VOYA"Things that will make you fall in love with
Juniper Lemon's Happiness Index:
– The most excellent Bicycle Race sing off the world has ever seen (++)
– A beautifully woven story of grief and friendship and secrets (+++)
– Characters that you can't stop thinking about for moments and days and weeks after you close the book (+++) x ∞"—Rachael Allen, author of
A Taxonomy of Love and
The Revenge Playbook
