Speed of Life
From award winning author Carol Weston comes an uplifting, heartfelt tale of bravery and strength in the face of loss and grief, perfect for tweens, teens and adults alike.
"I will eagerly place it on my daughter's bookshelf, so that she, like Sofia, can find her own resilience and voice in our painful, joyful, speeding world."--New York Times
Sofia lost her mother eight months ago, and her friends were 100% there for her. Now it's a new year and they're ready for Sofia to move on. But being a motherless daughter is hard to get used to, especially when you're only fourteen.
Problem is, Sofia can't bounce back, can't recharge like a cellphone. She decides to write Dear Kate, an advice columnist for Fifteen Magazine, and is surprised to receive a fast reply. Soon the two are exchanging emails, and Sofia opens up and spills all, including a few worries that are totally embarrassing. Turns out even advice columnists don't have all the answers, and one day Sofia learns a secret that flips her world upside down.
2018 Best Fiction for Young Adults - American Library Association
A 2018 Best Children's Book of the Year - Bank Street College of Education
2017 Best Fiction for Older Readers - Chicago Public Library
2019-2020 Young Hoosier Book Award Longlist
Four STARRED Reviews
Read the first page from Speed of Life:
WARNING: This is kind of a sad story.
At least at first. So if you don't like sad stories, maybe you shouldn't read this. I mean, I'd understand if you put it down and watched cat videos instead. I like cat videos too.
Then again, this book is already in your hands. It starts and ends on January 1, and I was thinking of calling it The Year My Whole Life Changed. Or Life, Death, and Kisses. Or maybe even The Year I Grew Up.
For me, being fourteen was hard. Really hard. Childhood was a piece of cake. Being a kid in New York City and spending summers in Spain, that was all pretty perfect, looking back. But being fourteen was like climbing a mountain in the rain. In flip-flops. I hoped I'd wind up in a different place, but I kept tripping and slipping and falling and wishing it weren't way too late to turn around.
This book does have funny parts. And I learned two giant facts:
- Number one: everything can change in an instant--for worse, sure, but also for better.
- Number two: sometimes, if you just keep climbing, you get an amazing view. You see what's behind you and what's ahead of you and--the big surprise--what's inside you.
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Carol Weston writes for all ages and has been the advice columnist at Girls' Life since 1994. Her 16 award-winning books include Speed of Life, Ava and Pip, and Girltalk, which came out in a dozen languages. Speed of Life is a YALSA "Best Fiction for Young Adults," and The New York Times calls it "funny, perceptive, and moving." Carol has been a guest on The View, Today, Oprah, and CNN Español. Her website is carolweston.com.
"Sofia's growth--amid unexpected interest from boys, her first relationship, new additions to her family, and grief--is both relatable and moving." -- Publishers Weekly, starred review
"The multicultural cast is led by the completely likable Sofia, whose mother was Spanish and whose abuelo's comforting presence remains across the ocean. Her story has no fast, easy answers, but there is a clear message that while time does not necessarily heal, it helps. The advice of not to fall too hard, too fast, or too far is real, not preachy. Complex characters and a strong voice make this one stand out." -- Kirkus Reviews
"This slice-of-life story echoes the author's own experience as a teen magazine advice columnist and addresses all sorts of issues: death, grieving, moving, parental dating, parental sexuality, stepsibling conflict, new schools, self-esteem, and relationships. This refreshing work tackles a lot of themes, but eventually Sofia does get to a better place...Weston isn't afraid to tackle the squirm-inducing questions common to high school freshmen too embarrassed to seek sound information from reliable sources." -- School Library Journal, starred review
"This novel is jam-packed with important, dramatic, and inevitable aspects of adolescence, from pimples to periods to popularity...Weston draws heavily on her years as "Dear Carol" at Girls' Life magazine, creating a solid, affecting tale of maturing and coming to grips with one's reality." -- Booklist, starred review
"Weston imparts insights about life and loss throughout, tracing Sofia's increasing maturity; by the time Sofia turns fifteen, "I had gotten out of from under the heavy blanket of grief. I was...growing up." Supported by sympathetic friends and family (including Kate, who is just as nice in person, and always gives excellent advice), Sofia faces each new challenge in her life with honesty, bravery, and humor." -- Horn Book Magazine
"Author Carol Weston (Girltalk: All the Stuff Your Sister Never Told You; Ava and Pip) has been the voice of "Dear Carol" at Girls' Life magazine since 1994. She draws on her many years of experience to tackle tough issues with honesty and humor. Death and grieving, self-esteem, "bras, periods, cliques, and crushes" are all addressed head-on in this engaging novel. Readers will enjoy spending a pivotal year with Sofia, as she learns to find comfort in life's changes, both big and small." -- Shelf Awareness
"A sweet, moving tale about grief and growing up." -- New York Post
"A letter-writing habit turns hairy in Carol Weston's Speed of Life (Sourcebooks)." -- Vanity Fair
"This is, perhaps, the most perfect eighth grade girl book I have ever read. In fact, it was excruciating to read (in the best possible way) as I felt I was right back in Middle School myself. It reminded me of nothing more than the Judy Blume books I read at that age, but current for today's readers." -- Teen Librarian Toolbox, School Library Journal
