Booklist Reviews
Evan Hansen, a teen crippled by anxiety, starts each day by writing a letter of encouragement to himself. When loner Connor Murphy finds one of the letters at school and dies by suicide days later, his parents deliver the "Dear Evan Hansen" to Evan, who lies about being Connor's best friend. As the Murphys embrace Evan, his lie goes viral, giving comfort to the grieving family and making him a social media darling. But as the lies build, Evan's guilt forces him to admit the truth. In this stage-to-page adaptation, characters' back stories offer depth only hinted at by the Tony Award–winning musical. Connor's posthumous narration offers insights into his mental state, while Evan's voice and interior monologues reveal the intensity of his own. The ending eases some of the rockiness of Evan's life, and while there are no overt consequences for his deception, he is seemingly left to ponder his actions. Readers who long for acceptance will welcome this opportunity to experience Evan's story. Grades 9-12. Copyright 2018 Booklist Reviews.
BookPage Reviews
The gift of less screen time
Books are easy to use (no charging or downloading required) and will always be in vogue. For the age group that's the most difficult to buy for, we've got reads for musical lovers, Hunger Games fans and DIY crafters.
The Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, which follows the eponymous teen's struggle with social anxiety, has taken Broadway by storm. Now, the creators of the show offer another way for fans and newcomers alike to experience Evan's story through Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel. Written in a light, breezy narration, the novel tells the story of how Evan, a teenage loner, takes his therapist's advice and begins writing letters to himself each day in order to deal with his anxieties and insecurities. But when one of his private notes lands in the wrong hands, Evan accidentally becomes a social media sensation after the note resurfaces at the scene of a classmate's suicide. Like the musical upon which it's based, Dear Evan Hansen tackles serious themes—like isolation, mental health, friendship, love, community and the difficulty of telling the truth, even to yourself—in a sometimes serious, sometimes hilarious way that is sure to connect with today's teens.
A WORTHY TRIBUTE
Suzanne Collins' acclaimed Hunger Games series—perhaps one of the most popular and well-loved YA series of all time—is now available in a gift-ready new package. The Hunger Games: Special Edition Box Set celebrates the 10th anniversary of this action-packed series with new paperbacks that feature luxe foil covers and lots of great bonus material. Fans will relish the longest published interview with Collins to date, a conversation between Collins and the late author Walter Dean Myers, a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the series and a timeline of Hunger Games-related events from 2008 to the present.
GET STICHIN'
For crafty teens, there's Australian embroidery expert Irem Yazici's Tiny Stitches: Buttons, Badges, Patches, and Pins to Embroider. This guide lays out necessary materials and sewing techniques for needlework newbies, and there are plenty of illustrated examples and step-by-step instructions for projects like pins, patches and buttons. From outdoorsy scenes to cutesy snack items, young readers will be sure to find a pattern to love. Traceable templates allow the budding crafter to immediately deck out their best denim.
This article was originally published in the December 2018 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.
Copyright 2018 BookPage Reviews.Horn Book Guide Reviews
With Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul. A novelization of the Broadway musical. When classmate Connor commits suicide, Evan perpetuates the misunderstanding that he was close friends with Connor. Evan's tribute goes viral, making him the poster boy for teen-suicide awareness. Evan's social anxiety is superficially developed and feels like an excuse for his poor choices. Nevertheless, the focus on teen suicide and our increasing disconnection through social media could start vital conversations. Copyright 2019 Horn Book Guide Reviews.
Kirkus Reviews
Emmich (The Reminders, 2017) joins the team behind the Tony-winning musical to create this novel adaptation. Awkward high school senior Evan Hansen has zero friends and a debilitating mixture of depression and anxiety. As a coping mechanism, his therapist assigns him to write letters to himself to reframe his thinking. When one of those letters is found on the body of Connor Murphy, a loner classmate and brother of Evan's crush, Zoe, the Murphys assume that Connor addressed a suicide note to Evan and that the boys were secretly friends. Evan does nothing to dissuade this notion, and soon his lies build as he experiences belonging and acceptance for the first time. But as his anxiety winds ever tighter and others notice loopholes in his story, Evan begins to unravel as he fears exposure. Evan's first-person narration is simultaneously sympathetic and frustrating, female characters feel underdeveloped, and the story's representation of mental health issues is at times underwhel ming. Inserted interludes of Connor's ghostly first-person, post-death perspective provide marginal insight into his character, although it is here that readers learn of Connor's fluid sexuality. Whether or not they've seen or listened to the musical, many readers will latch on to the story's message that "no one deserves to be forgotten." Evan presents as white, and other major characters are African-American and Latinx. Without the rich music and stage performance it's a middling story with themes better handled elsewhere; impeccably timed for the musical's national tour, however, teens will clamor to read it. (Fiction. 14-18) Copyright Kirkus 2018 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.
School Library Journal Reviews
Voice of Youth Advocates Reviews
Evan Hansen, socially anxious and awkward, has difficulty connecting with people. His therapist suggests he write letters to himself with daily positive affirmations. In a rare moment of honesty, he writes to himself expressing his regrets, hopes, and feelings of disappointment with life. Following two strange encounters with Connor--the misunderstood and sullen brother of his crush–Evan is pulled into a lie that goes viral after Connor commits suicide. Connor's grieving parents find Evan's letter and believe the two boys are friends. With the persuasion of a classmate, the story of Connor's suicide and his "best friend" Evan become a social media sensation, giving people hope and increasing awareness on the challenges of living with mental illness. Evan is suddenly popular and is accepted into a family he is growing to love and who needs him to help them through grief. But the more attention he receives, the bigger the lies get, and it is only a matter of time before the truth reveals itself. Based on the Tony-Award–winning musical of the same name, Dear Evan Hansen presents the sad truth about a teenager struggling with social anxiety. Readers will feel both empathetic toward and horrified by Evan. The chapters are interspersed with Connor's ghost or spirit commenting on his feelings about his family, Evan, and a mysterious friend who led him down this path. It is heartfelt and will resonate with readers seeking a unique take on youth mental illness and the challenges of high school.—Jane Gov. Dear Evan Hansen is a compelling story about a lie that that spirals out of control. The novel is easy to understand without knowledge of the musical it was based on; it is well written and stands on its own. The characters are relatable, but the events in the novel seemed a bit far-fetched. However, for fans of the musical, this will be a hit. 3Q, 4P.—Sylvie Bower, Teen Reviewer. 4Q 3P S Copyright 2018 Voya Reviews.