Review: The Secret to Belonging

 

There's a girl whose family is broken. They give everything they have towards her older brother who is an addict - even your college fund. But luck does find you, in the form of a scholarship to study abroad in Norway. 

There's nothing left for you at home, so you pack your bags. And your real life begins. You matter. Your choices matter. Your new family takes your thoughts and feelings into consideration. You're learning about their culture. You're learning their language. But more importantly, you're learning about yourself and where you fit in this world.

My Thoughts: This novel in verse is a heartbreaking emotional read. It captures the moment you find yourself - and refuse to let go. Life isn't always fair. I loved reading about the Norwegian culture.  This is Megan E. Freeman's first YA and I really hope it won't be her last. This powerful story made me cry but also gave me hope in the best possible way. It's one of those books you'll remember long after you close the pages.

Cover Thoughts: Emotional

Source: eARC sent for review

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your public library

* This book comes out on Tuesday September 15

Author Interview: Megan Freeman

 

About Megan:

Megan E. Freeman attended an elementary school where poets visited her classroom every week, and she has been a writer ever since. She writes middle grade and young adult fiction. Megan is also a Pushcart Prize–nominated poet. An award-winning teacher with decades of classroom experience, Megan taught multiple subjects across the arts and humanities to students of all ages. She lives near Boulder, Colorado. Visit her online at MeganEFreeman.com.

Let's get to chatting!

Did you travel abroad during school? Where did you go? What were your experiences? 

Yes! I was an exchange student for a year in high school, and I lived with a host family above the Arctic Circle in Norway. I had never been out of North America before, so it was a totally new experience for me. Before I left, I studied Norwegian privately for a few months, and then all the exchange students attended a two-week language boot camp that gave us a rudimentary foundation in basic grammar and vocabulary. After that we were sent to our home-stays and our adventures began. I felt particularly lucky, because instead of enrolling in the regular high school, I was able to attend the local art school. I studied traditional Norwegian textile design and weaving, and I took classes in color and form, painting, drawing, and many other arts and crafts. It was a remarkable experience that transformed the way I saw the world and myself in it.

That's awesome. I had the chance to spend a semester in Bath, England and it was fantastic. 

 If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

I would love to visit Iceland. I once spent a magical 24 hours there, but it only whetted my appetite for more. I’d also love to explore Greece and Turkey. My degrees are both in theater, and I’d love to visit some of the ancient sites. And of course I’d love to go back to Norway and explore more of Scandinavia. There is so much rich history and culture to dive into.

Oh, I would like to visit Iceland too!

This was such an emotional read, did you have a hard time writing pieces of it? 

Did it make you cry? 

Honestly, this book just flowed out of me. It was truly one of the most stress-free creative endeavors I’ve ever undertaken. The plot and storyline were entirely fictional, but I was already intimately acquainted with the emotional experiences of the character. It wasn’t hard to translate to the page, and poetry was the perfect vehicle.

 Was it hard shifting from middle grade stories to write a YA?  

It wasn’t difficult, in part because my ALONE books are already considered upper middle grade, and also because I don’t actually think too much about category as I’m writing. I try to be true to the story that wants to be told, and later I consult with my agent and editor to confirm where it belongs in the market. And if anything, writing YA was slightly easier because I didn’t have to take care of the reader in the same way. With middle grade, I’m always cognizant of young readers who might need certain topics handled with care. Knowing this book was for a slightly more mature audience, I felt free to let the story take me wherever it wanted to go.

That makes perfect sense. 

What kind of research did you do for this book? 

Was there a fact that didn't make it in, but was really interesting? 

The research for this book was almost entirely from my own lived experiences, so there wasn’t nearly as much external work required. I did spend a lot of time making sure my Norwegian was correct and double-checking my memories against the historical record. And I had to do some research into some medical and technical terms. But mostly, it was going back through old photo albums and letters, mining my own adolescence.

 6. Anything I didn't ask that you'd like to talk about? 

Yes, thanks for asking. In addition to The Secret to Belonging, which comes out in September, I’m excited to let readers know about a third book in the ALONE series, which comes out in February. It’s called AFAR, and it’s another companion novel, like AWAY. AFAR is about Emma, the third friend from the ill-fated sleepover in ALONE. We follow her and her mother when they evacuate to a compound in the mountains where her cousin River lives. It’s a multi-format novel, and it’s told from two perspectives using verse and prose. All three books can be read in any order, or each can stand alone. One of my middle grade beta readers summed up the series this way: “ALONE is an adventure, AWAY is a mystery, and AFAR is a thriller.” I think that’s pretty accurate, and I hope readers will love both AFAR and The Secret to Belonging when they come out.

Oh, I'm excited to hear this news. I loved both Alone and Away.

Thanks for chatting with me today! 

Review: Away

 

* companion novel to Alone * 

In the middle of the night, people in Colorado are rounded up and told to evacuate. They are loaded up on buses after gathering one bag to take with them. They're not told why they're being forced to leave.

They're bused to former camp, not in use since the Cold War.  They're forced to give up their cell phones and electronics. There a journalist meets a film maker meets a future doctor meets a teen who grew up on a ranch. The four teens form a bond between them. They interview people in the camp. 

Time passes. They still haven't been told the reason behind their evacuation, only that it's not safe for them. Their homes are in the contamination zone. But to the teens, nothing makes sense. They start questioning what they know - but more importantly what they don't know. Could there be something more to the story?

* While this is a companion novel, readers who pick up this book first won't miss out on any story. There is a nod to ALONE, that readers will enjoy if they have read that book.

** There is a cow that dies after giving birth, but all the other animals are fine.

My Thoughts: I loved this book. The formatting was different - poems, media announcements, newspaper write-ups, letters, and screenplay. While this book is long, it's a short read. First because of the format and second because of the tension. I'm so glad Megan Freeman wrote this book - it's all about friendship, big government, and uncovering the truth. I love how these characters gravitated towards each other and became friends. I love how they helped each other through the tough moments and didn't back down. Popcorn is adorable! Make time to read this one!

Cover Thoughts: Awesome

Source: ARC sent for review

Library Recommendation: A must have middle grade novel for your school or public library collection

Release Date: February 11, 2025

Guest Post: Middle School Memories

 

I would never want to go back to middle school - it was so hard in terms of friendships and finding yourself. And for me, I'm so glad it was over way before social media. No one needs to see those awkward pictures.

Enjoy this guest post from the Class of 2K21 Books!

Kidlit Authors Share Our Favorite Middle School Memories By Louisa Onomé

 Middle school can be a difficult time for many reasons. You may have been the new kid and had to learn how to adapt to a different setting. You could’ve been exploring new interests and trying to find out where you fit in with old friends. Or, you might have experienced something so life-changing that it still affects you to this day.

 However, I think we can all agree that middle school gets a bad rep sometimes! It isn’t always difficult; sometimes, middle school can also be such a transformative time filled with friendship, fun, and the best memories. That’s why the 2021 kidlit debut class, featuring authors Graci Kim, Megan E. Freeman, and Andrea Wang, wanted to share exactly what their favorite part of middle school was.

 Graci Kim, author of The Last Fallen Star

“I distinctly remember a boy in intermediate school (what we call middle school in New Zealand!) who bullied me. He used to ride around on his bike, circling me like a hawk after school, calling me Ching Chong Chinaman, and telling me to go back to my own country. I remember being so upset by his actions that I’d want to skip school and spend the day watching tellie under the covers. Then one day, my dad told me a story about a boy who had to save his village from an evil villain. He had tried every weapon known to humankind to vanquish this monster, but in the end, the greatest weapon had been love. My appa was adamant that real life was no different, and that there was no stronger force than kindness to destroy evil. Not long after that, it was my birthday and I wanted to throw a party. Every instinct told me not to invite the bully--he should know how it feels to be left out! But thinking of my appa’s story, I decided to be like the boy in his story. Even as my heart trembled in fear, I personally handed my bully an invite with a smile on my face. And what do you know--he came! Against all odds, we became friends. And when a different boy teased me about my lunch one day, guess who rode over on his bike and defended me? You guessed it :) Guess my appa was right, after all. Kindness conquers all.”

 Megan E. Freeman, author of Alone

“When I was a middle school teacher, my principal told me she thought 7th grade was a time when many children test the limits of their own moral compasses, experimenting with what it feels like to be unkind or cruel. I have a distinct memory of myself at that age writing a horrible thing in my friend’s yearbook at the end of the school year and then watching her read it from across the room. I distinctly remember her looking up at me after she read what I’d written and how it felt to watch my words find purchase in her awareness. I felt guilty for years. Many, many years later when we were both adults, I asked my friend if she remembered and if she’d forgiven me, and she didn’t even remember the incident. But it seared itself in my psyche as an example of what I was capable of, and I didn’t like it at all. (Okay so that’s not a favorite memory, but it’s a distinct one!)”

 Andrea Wang, author of The Many Meanings of Meilan

“I remember sitting on the floor of a classroom during some free time, chatting with my friends, when one of them told us that there was a fairy living in her earring. She had gold hoop earrings that were small but wide, and she insisted that the fairy lived in the curve of her right earring. We were eleven, and by this point I had given up on the existence of magic and magical creatures and was shocked that my friend truly believed in fairies. But I treasure this memory because my friend made me wonder about the world again, and to see the possibility of magic everywhere. That change in my perception of the world has definitely influenced my writing. In The Many Meanings of Meilan, Meilan believes a tree spirit lives in the giant tree in her neighbor’s backyard, and she sees signs and other spirits in her new town. Her magical thinking is how she copes with the losses and injustices in her life.”

 Check out the Class of 2k21’s kidlit projects here for more middle grade titles that deal with the nostalgia and realness of middle school.

I love hearing about authors when they were in school! This is the last of the 2K21 Guest Posts, we hope you enjoyed this series!

Review: Alone

Maddie hatches a brilliant plan to have a secret slumber party with her two best friends. She tells her mom that she's staying with her Dad and vice versa.  It's the perfect set up - until both of her friends back out. 

But everything changes in the middle of the night. There's an evacuation. But Maddie's phone battery is dead. The news doesn't reach her until the next morning and by then it's too late.

She's Alone. Maddie waits for information. When none comes, she realizes that she can only rely on herself. Maddie finds a companion in the neighbor's dog. Together they set about surviving. 

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down. Alone is a novel in verse, which suits the story. Maddie is a very strong character - brave , resourceful, determined. I don't know how she managed, but she did. She faces so many challenges; I admired her. I adored George, the dog.*  I wanted a tiny bit of more information at the end. An impressive debut novel.

* George lives and thrives

There is a nasty death of a kitten. All the animals in the town are abandoned. 

Cover Thoughts: Love it

Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: A wonderful survival story for your library. Highly recommended for both school and public libraries.

Other stories to read: