Standing on Neptune

 

Am I pregnant?

This question shatters the peace of seventeen-year-old Brooke Palinder’s life one Monday morning when she realizes her period is late. Although shaken, she’s determined to hide her feelings and go about her daily routine as though nothing is wrong.

Brooke’s boyfriend Ryan handles the news poorly, and she can’t bring herself to confide in anyone else, not even her best friend.

In an effort to distract herself, Brooke throws herself into a school project about Neptune, which leads her to some startling discoveries and a surprising sense of connection to the distant planet.

But by Saturday, she knows she must face the answer to the question that began her week.

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Standing on Neptune has been reviewed by:

Kirkus Reviews: "By situating the story in this week long moment of suspense, Sherrard focuses affectingly on the intricacy of a teenager’s scattered yet profound internal emotional experience ... A tender, intense story capturing the vast scope of a young adult’s interior universe." 

Canlit for Little Canadians:  Novels in free verse are one of my favourite genres and Valerie Sherrard, knows how to use the genre to tell gripping stories. She takes us into the thoughts of teens as they contend with issues of teen pregnancy, shaky friendships, blended families, insecurities, and self-awareness. 

5 STARS from CM Magazine:  The book’s title is an unusual one and comes from a science class astronomy assignment in which Brooke drew the slip labeled “Neptune”. Though Brooke’s working on the assignment provides her with moments of respite from thinking about the consequences of her late period, she also finds the planet Neptune to be metaphor for the enormous isolation she feels...

Atlantic Books Today: This is an insightful, thought-provoking and perceptive novel, a brief but impactful exploration of the complexities of the human heart.

Standing on Neptune is a Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books Selection, 2023. 

Standing on Neptune was the 2023 Moonbeam Children's Book Award bronze level winner in the category for Young Adult Fiction - Mature Issues.