Switch

On June 23, 2020, Earth fell into a space-time fold that stopped every clock. Now, per government mandate, all students must spend two hours per day—as measured by a website that “tells you what time and date it would be”—contemplating a fix. Truda Becker, 16, suspects the universe pressed pause because people ceased caring about each other, but has no clue how to rectify the situation, particularly since her own family is struggling due to her sociopathic older sister’s sadistic manipulations. To cope, Truda throws javelins, which “teach me how to fly through time when no time exists,” and endeavors to uncover the mysterious switch over which her father has nailed a series of increasingly large boxes—some the size of rooms. Every night, while her household sleeps, Truda takes a crowbar to her father’s handiwork, hoping to learn the mechanism’s purpose. This powerful tale from Printz Medalist King (Dig) satirizes society’s time fixation while illustrating the importance of candor, compassion, and self-care. Surreal imagery and poetic narration capture Truda’s inner turmoil without obscuring plot or hindering pace, resulting in a read that’s poignant, propulsive, and profound. Ages 14–up. [em]Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret Literary. (May) [/em]