Between the Notes

by Sharon Huss Roat

Overview

After Ivy is forced to move to "the wrong side of the tracks" due to economic hard times, she discovers that not everything—or everyone—is what they seem, even herself. Fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen will love this funny, poignant, and relatable story.

When Ivy Emerson's family loses their house—complete with her beloved piano—the fear of what's to come seizes her like a bad case of stage fright. Forced to give up her allowance, her cell phone, and the window seat in her lilac-colored bedroom, Ivy moves with her family from her affluent neighborhood to Lakeside, aka "the wrong side of the tracks." Hiding the truth from her friends—and the cute new guy in school, who may have secrets of his own—seems like a good idea at first. But when the bad-boy-next door threatens to ruin everything, Ivy's carefully crafted lies begin to unravel . . . and there is no way to stop them.

Once things get to the breaking point, Ivy turns to her music, some surprising new friends, and the trusting heart of her disabled little brother. And she may be surprised that not everyone is who she thought they were . . . including herself.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062291721
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	06/16/2015
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	512,874
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 1.25(d)
Lexile:	HL640L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

Sharon Huss Roat grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and now lives in Delaware with her family. Between the Notes, her debut novel, was followed by How to Disappear. When she's not writing (or reading) books for young adults, you might find her planting vegetables in her backyard garden or sewing costumes for a school musical. Sharon loves hearing from readers, so visit her online at www.sharonroat.com or on Twitter @sharonwrote.

Editorial Reviews

05/25/2015
When 16-year-old Ivy Emerson and her family are forced to move to the “poor” side of town after the bank forecloses on their home, Ivy’s charmed life is replaced by one in which her family is crammed into a shoebox-sized house, she has no money to go out with her friends, and her mother shops for groceries at a food bank. Debut author Roat uses the intensity of major life changes to force Ivy to reevaluate everything she believes about herself, her friends, and her family. Ivy’s understandable bitterness and shame eventually give way to discoveries about what is—and isn’t—important in life, especially in the case of her neighbor Lennie, who has a reputation as her school’s “most notorious druggie,” but turns out to be kind and generous. As Ivy tries to choose between Lennie and a boy who represents a connection to her former life, the novel’s romantic and economic stakes feel too transparently tied to an overarching message about looking beyond appearances and material wealth. Ages 14–up. Agent: Steven Chudney, Chudney Agency. (June)

Publishers Weekly

When it comes to heart and finding home, this novel hits the right notes.” — Booklist

“This demonstrates that between the lines resides truth about perception, others, and most importantly oneself.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Teens will find a true champion in Ivy” — Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

“Sweet and satisfying debut.” — The Horn Book

From the Publisher

Sweet and satisfying debut.

The Horn Book

Teens will find a true champion in Ivy

Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

When it comes to heart and finding home, this novel hits the right notes.

Booklist

When it comes to heart and finding home, this novel hits the right notes.

Booklist

04/01/2015
Gr 8 Up—Ivy Emerson, 16, moves from affluent Westside to undesirable Lakeside after her parents declare bankruptcy after getting behind on her brother's medical bills. Leaving her baby grand piano, bedroom with a window seat, and cell phone behind, she fears she'll lose her friends if they ever find out. But keeping up appearances proves difficult when her best friend still lives in Westside, her bad-boy next-door neighbor isn't keen on keeping their interactions a secret, and the mysterious new boy at school seems far more Westside than Lakeside. To make matters worse, Ivy's best friend is crushing on the new guy who, in turn, is mutually crushing on Ivy. Worst of all, she can't even save face with a "respectable" job playing piano at the country club due to her stage fright and fear of being found out. Short on cash and without the perspective that money isn't everything, Ivy navigates the waters of learning what she's worth in a very material world. Although distastefully shallow at first, trying to save face at every turn, Ivy eventually learns that things aren't always what they seem, and that it is not what you have but who you are that matters. A constant barrage of "ums," ellipses, and disjointed plot devices tarnish the reading experience. VERDICT The lesson Ivy learns is important and oh-so-sweet; the journey there is cumbersome and slightly sour.—Brittany Staszak, St. Charles Public Library, IL

School Library Journal

2015-03-11
Her family's move to the wrong side of the tracks feels like a devastating fall from grace for Ivy. Her parents hid their financial struggles until the announcement that they are selling everything, including Ivy's beloved piano, and moving to the poor side of town. Ivy goes to great lengths to hide this change from her rich friends. The strain is enormous, as Ivy, her parents, and her twin siblings are forced to rely on the charity of food banks. Additionally, she finds it loathsome that the guy next door, Lennie, with tattoos and a bad reputation, is making overtures of friendship. Enter the gorgeous new boy in high school, James. In a betrayal of Ivy's smitten best friend, they strike up a secret friendship, leaving special notes to each other contained within their favorite books. Of course, nothing is quite as it seems. Ivy must face her shallowness and apparent lack of ability to do simple deductive reasoning, as she continues to confuse which potential love interest is doing what. Were it not for Ivy's emotionally complex relationship with her little brother, who has a seizure disorder, this would languish as a nice but typical romance in which the girl must choose between two, very disparate knights in shining armor. This teen-love not-quite-trifle demonstrates that between the lines resides truth about perception, others, and most importantly oneself. (Romance. 14-17)

Kirkus Reviews