Mountain Upside Down

Everything is looking up for 13-year-old Alex Eager until suddenly it isn’t: her new girlfriend PJ’s mothers decide it’s time for them to move, Alex’s grandmother is becoming more and more forgetful, and there’s rumors that the upcoming local election might threaten funding for her small Oregon town’s public library, her home away from home. Alex is continually challenged by things outside of her control in this endearingly thoughtful middle grade debut by Ryan (Rules for Hearts) that leans into the messy nature of everyday life: complicated emotions plague Alex’s relationship with her distant father and his second wife, she feels haunted by the ghost of her late mother whenever her grandmother refers to Alex by her name, and she’s not sure what she can do to save the library. But instead of dwelling on all the things she doesn’t know or understand, Alex learns to adapt—becoming “amphibious,” as her grandmother says, to make the most of every moment, in the moment, as she builds a new life with those she loves, making for a tidy and satisfying tale in which one “rigid” teen resolves to make good with what she has. Main characters read as white. Ages 10–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich & Bourret. (Feb.)