★ 06/11/2018
What happens to the suitcases left unclaimed at airports? They go to stores that sort through, and sell, their contents. Sixteen-year-old Doris works at just such a store in a small Alabama town, as do Nell and fellow high schooler Grant, and the three teens become unlikely friends. Doris is an anomaly in their conservative town because she doesn’t believe in God—and doesn’t mind saying so; Nell’s family has just moved from Chicago; and Grant was a local football hero, until his drinking cost him his position on the team, his girlfriend, and his self-respect. In her YA debut, Doll skillfully integrates three alternating voices—especially Doris, with her gift for finding things—in a story threaded through with relationships and identities lost and found. Over the course of the summer, junk and treasures, both sentimental and real, pass through the shop; family history is reclaimed; and things, stories, and people find new places to belong. Ages 12–up. Agent: Ryan Harbage, Fischer-Harbage Agency. (Sept.)
*A New York Times Staff Pick*
*An NPR Best Book of 2018*
*A Buzzfeed Best YA Book of 2018*
*A Bustle.com Best YA Book of September 2018*
*A Hypable YA September Must-Read*
*A Cosmo Best New Book of 2018*
*A BookRiot Fall 2018 YA Must-Read*
*A Mental Floss Best Book of 2018*
"Jen Doll's big-hearted YA debut . . . Doll breezily alternates among the voices of her likable characters as they move toward new discoveries, new romance and unexpected adventure." —The New York Times Book Review
"A magnificent gem of a story . . . a dense, rich, and powerfully beautiful story. A quintessential Southern Novel for Teens, bordering on Gothic, but still managing to leave the reader with a sense of wonder and optimism." —NPR
"In her YA debut, Doll skillfully integrates three alternating voices—especially Doris, with her gift for finding things—in a story threaded through with relationships and identities lost and found. Over the course of the summer, junk and treasures, both sentimental and real, pass through the shop; family history is reclaimed; and things, stories, and people find new places to belong." —Publishers Weekly, starred review
"Doll deftly navigates difficult topics like alcoholism, sexual assault, and racism with a compassion for her characters and her audience, making for a deeply engaging read that beautifully balances life's more profound moments with ones of levity and frivolity." —Nylon
"An infectious story about friendship, politics, and falling in (and out) of love." —Entertainment Weekly
"And when it comes to reaching young readers, there’s much to celebrate about Doll’s willingness to not only get political, but really present how politics affects us all." —EW.com
"Jen Doll's debut YA novel Unclaimed Baggage is told in each of their three perspectives as they literally unpack lost baggage while unpacking their respective emotional baggage, and it's a testament to the power of friendship." —Bustle
"If your Netflix queue runneth over with YA rom-coms, this is the book for you. This story of three unlikely friends who meet while working a summer job selling people’s lost luggage is your next binge-read." —Cosmopolitan
"Perfectly heartwarming and quirky." —HelloGiggles
“Plenty of emotional baggage is unpacked in alternating narrative style in this deceptively weighty novel, particularly between Doris and Grant, who have a history together that rings true to the way peer dynamics often play out in small, insular communities . . . Teens who favor realistic fiction will find much to like here.” —Kirkus Reviews
"Nestled into this breezy book about friendship and love sits conversations on racism, religion, sexual assault, alcoholism, and life choices. The friendship among Nell, Doris, and Grant creates a safe place where the three of them can come to terms with issues and not be judged. The quirky store where they work sets the tone for the novel. VERDICT A great choice for fans of Morgan Matson’s Since You’ve Been Gone." —School Library Journal
"This was a great book, and I highly recommend it for anyone of any age to read." —The Decatur Daily
"Unclaimed Baggage, delivers a page-turning story of three unlikely friends navigating an abundance of current social issues confronting present-day teenagers. It's Doll's unflinching gaze at such complex and sometimes controversial themes that should appeal to any young person who has ever been underestimated for not being savvy enough to take on the challenges of the world around them." —The Chronogram
“A testament to the restorative power of friendship, with an intriguing premise and setting that will inspire readers to come to terms with their own ‘unclaimed baggage’.” —Leila Sales, author of This Song Will Save Your Life
“Set against the lively landscape of modern day Alabama, three unlikely friends are thrown together for an unusual summer that is part adventure, part romance, part backyard treasure hunt. Sharply conceived and deeply felt, Jen Doll spins a story that details the intricate and surprising relationships of maverick Doris, free-spirited Nell, and troubled golden-boy Grant who wear their hearts—and will steal yours—on every page of this warm, funny, and wryly-observed novel.” —Adele Griffin, author of the National Book Award Finalists Sons of Liberty and Where I Want to Be
“The small-town Alabama teens I met in Jen Doll’s stellar book have populated my mind and heart. This story will stay with you.” —Melissa Walker, author of Unbreak My Heart and Small Town Sinners
"UNCLAIMED BAGGAGE is equal parts tender, funny, and affirming. This tale of three small town teens and the quirky workplace that draws them together reminds readers that the universe has a way of bringing us the people we need most in our lives. I absolutely adored this book." —Jennifer Mathieu, author of Moxie
"Jen Doll’s writing is as full of surprise and treasure as the titular Unclaimed Baggage. I fell hard for Doris, Nell, and Grant, and their story that celebrates the discovery of true friendship." —Ava Dellaira, author of Love Letters to the Dead and In Search of Us
"Jen Doll's luminous, deeply felt debut novel Unclaimed Baggage will claim your heart as immediately as it claimed mine. Anyone who has felt out of step in her hometown, anyone who has felt like she was living in a constant state of culture shock despite never having left home, anyone carrying heavy bags, be they literal or emotional, will spark to this story of friendship, selfhood, and discovery of abandoned treasures." - Katherine Howe, New York Times bestselling author of Conversion
08/01/2018
Gr 9 Up—Nell moves from Chicago to Alabama in the middle of her high school career; she's not happy about leaving her boyfriend or her friends behind. She winds up working at a store that sells lost or left behind items from airports. Nell connects with her new coworker Doris. Together they start bonding with Grant. He used to be the town football hero before he drove while drunk, smashed his car, and broke his girlfriend's arm. Now he's trying desperately to regain control over alcohol and his life. The change of pace at the store from his football friends is helping him. They form a tight-knit trio who work to overcome their personal baggage and find their true selves. Doll's YA debut packs a punch. Nestled into this breezy book about friendship and love sits conversations on racism, religion, sexual assault, alcoholism, and life choices. The friendship among Nell, Doris, and Grant creates a safe place where the three of them can come to terms with issues and not be judged. The quirky store where they work sets the tone for the novel. VERDICT A great choice for fans of Morgan Matson's Since You've Been Gone.—Jennifer Rummel, Cragin Library, Colchester, CT
2018-06-18
Three teens form a tight friendship while working together at a store in small-town Alabama that sells the contents of people's long-lost airplane luggage.Reluctant newcomer Nell is desperate for a job when she ventures into Unclaimed Baggage. She is hired by Doris, who has her fair share of enemies in her conservative, religious town since she stopped attending church and whose best friend, Maya, who is a Jewish lesbian, is away for the summer. Nell and Doris establish a near instant rapport and eventually widen their circle to encompass Grant, a disgraced high school football star, who struggles with alcohol abuse. Plenty of emotional baggage is unpacked in alternating narrative style in this deceptively weighty novel, particularly between Doris and Grant, who have a history together that rings true to the way peer dynamics often play out in small, insular communities. Grant's realistic experience with using alcohol to cope with anxiety is described with compassion. Doris, Grant and Nell are all white. There are secondary characters who are black, and Nell's boyfriend, Ashton, is biracial. Despite striking a comedic tone early on, this novel lands decidedly in dramatic territory, and its overly neat ending may strike readers as pat.Teens who favor realistic fiction will find much to like here. (Fiction. 14-18)
