★ 02/19/2024
Stecher’s speculative, heartrending debut eloquently portrays the joys and sorrows of being in seventh grade—and the importance of remaining present. Though Joan Phyllis “J.P.” Green’s first day of school is riddled with bullying based in anti-fat bias from classmates, the news that her favorite sci-fi show, Admiral K, is getting a movie brightens her dismal mood. Following a flippant wish to skip the awfulness of middle school, a new doorknob magically appears in her tree house. Passing through the door drops her consciousness into her own body, three days in the future—while she was physically present through the intervening time, she carries no memory of the events that occurred therein. With the help of her best friend Kevin Takagi, J.P. cautiously experiments with the door. But as the bullying escalates and her beloved Pop Pop begins chemotherapy treatments for cancer, her time-skips become an “escape hatch” from life’s unpleasantness—and all the good parts in between. Stecher doesn’t hold back, utilizing tear-jerking prose to portray devastating events throughout J.P.’s life, the harsh consequences that skipping them reaps, and the catharsis that facing her fears affords. J.P. and her family are Jewish and read as white; Kevin is Japanese American. Ages 9–12. Agent: Sam Farkas, Jill Grinberg Literary. (May)
Magical and heartbreaking! You will read this book in one gulp.” —Jennifer L. Holm, New York Times-bestselling author of The Fourteenth Goldfish
“THE THINGS WE MISS is a remarkable book. It has big questions, hard truths, and powerful magic...and it's also a great story. It is a book that will make you think, a book that will make you feel, a book that will make you cheer, a book that will make you cry, a book that will keep you turning the pages. Do not miss THE THINGS WE MISS.” —Dan Gemeinhart, New York Times bestselling author of The Midnight Children and The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
“This book is both heartbreaking and magical. I couldn't put it down; I had to know the characters I grew to love would be okay.” —Stacy McAnulty, author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl and Forever Twelve.
“Balancing deeply authentic day-to-day moments with an element of unexpected magic, Leah Stecher offers a thoughtful meditation on how we must choose to live fully in a difficult world, even when it hurts us. This is a book about how friendship binds us to ourselves and reality, and why we fight for it.” —Laurel Snyder, author of Orphan Island and My Jasper June
“An emotionally resonant story that deftly blends fantasy and reality. Readers will see themselves in the smart, likable protagonist as she learns to embrace all experiences, even the most challenging.” —Barbara Dee, author of Maybe He Just Likes You and Unstuck
“A poignant excavation of grief, love, and the messy complications of friendship. No one should miss this gem of a book.” —Megan E. Freeman, author of Alone
“An achingly relatable blend of inexplicable magic and the all-too-real heartbreaks of the everyday world. Complex characters, an engaging storyline, and an authentic dive into the tragedies and triumphs of middle school and family life make this one a must-read.” —Monica Roe, author of Air
“An enchanting, heartbreaking, and magical look at how the choices we make impact not just how we live, but who we are.” —Chris Baron, author of The Magical Imperfect and All of Me
“Stecher's magical debut is a reminder to be present, even when life's challenges seem insurmountable. A stunning middle grade novel with memorable characters who take readers on a journey to self love, acceptance, and healing. I loved everything about this story!” —María José Fitzgerald, author of Turtles of the Midnight Moon
“Bitter and sweet are two sides of the same coin, and Leah Stecher's beautiful novel shows us how we can't have one without the other. The Things We Miss is deftly written, full of humor and heartache and so, so much heart. I simply loved it.” —Tziporah Cohen, author of No Vacancy
“[An] imaginative debut. A powerful story about self-acceptance and showing up for life that should be put in the hands of all middle school readers.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“This thoughtful, heart-wrenching speculative novel is a poignant reminder that life has 'lots of uphills so you can enjoy the downhills afterwards'.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review
“Stecher's speculative, heartrending debut eloquently portrays the joys and sorrows of being in seventh grade—and the importance of remaining present.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“At once a bit Dumplin' and a bit Starfish . . . this heartfelt novel cuts deeply.” —Booklist
“A heartwarming (and heartbreaking) story you won't want to skip through.” —BCCB
“In the resonant novel The Things We Miss, a girl learns that running away doesn't solve problems, and that being present is an act of love.” —Foreword Reviews
“A powerful story about the joy and pain of growing up.” —Kirkus Reviews
★ 06/01/2024
Gr 5 Up—Stecher's debut novel is about the joys and struggles of dealing with middle school and growing up. J.P. is not looking forward to the start of seventh grade, but gets news from her best friend, Kevin, that their favorite show Admiral K is getting a movie. After her first day, she goes to her neighbor's treehouse wishing to skip all of her middle school woes when suddenly a golden doorknob appears on the wall. Curious, she opens the newly formed door and steps through, finding herself three days in the future, remembering nothing that happened over those days. With this new magical way out, J.P. starts using the door as an escape more and more as the bullying increases and her grandfather's cancer returns, missing the bad parts of her life, but the good moments as well. Stecher's story is one of learning from mistakes and being present, with a twist of magic. The relationships between J.P. and Kevin, and between J.P. and her mom, are believable, and will resonate with young readers. Stecher doesn't shy away from tough conversations and deep topics in this imaginative debut. VERDICT A powerful story about self-acceptance and showing up for life that should be put in the hands of all middle school readers.—Kylie Woodmansee
2024-02-17
A Southern California tween finds a way to skip ahead in time, sparing herself discomfort but also costing her valuable moments.
J.P. sometimes seeks solace in her neighbor’s treehouse, and one day when she’s there, she notices a gold doorknob in the wall where there wasn’t one before. After she turns it, a door opens, and she passes through, finding herself instantly transported three days into the future. She has no memory of what happened during the time she missed. Seventh grade isn’t easy: J.P. has run-ins with mean girl Miranda, who shames her for her body size. Her beloved Pop Pop’s cancer has come back. It’s tempting to use the treehouse door to escape, and she even gets Kevin involved in brainstorming variables to see if they can manipulate the time skips. Although Stecher never explains the magic involved, by walking through the door, J.P. can avoid memories of unpleasant experiences and feelings, but in the process, she also doesn’t remember precious time spent with Pop Pop and Kevin. Debut author Stecher’s characters feel natural, lovable, and whole; the tensions that arise between J.P. and her mom and J.P. and Kevin are believable and relatable. Readers will come away understanding the hard-won lesson that life is best experienced in its entirety. J.P. and her family are Jewish and cued white; Kevin is Japanese American and gay.
A powerful story about the joy and pain of growing up. (Fiction. 9-12)
