106 books
—
417 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “The Thing About Jellyfish” as Want to Read:
The Thing About Jellyfish
by
This stunning debut novel about grief and wonder was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured widespread critical acclaim, including selection as a 2015 National Book Award finalist!
After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting--things don't just happen for no reason. ...more
After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting--things don't just happen for no reason. ...more
Get A Copy
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published
September 22nd 2015
by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
(first published August 18th 2015)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
The Thing About Jellyfish,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
Reese Wilson
I read it in fourth grade, then read it 3 more times in fifth grade, but I believe this book is meant more for middle-schoolers. (But is is AMAZING!)
Tammy
There are sketches at the beginning of each segment of the book.
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30
Start your review of The Thing About Jellyfish
Usually, I’m annoyed with books that present a dead character in a story and even make them part of the main cast, because WE don’t know them as well as the characters in the book do.
But Ali Benjamin succeeded to make me care about Suzy’s best friend who drowned and died, leaving her friendless and feeling alone.
Except Suzy was already friendless even before her best friend died.
In the story, there is the past and the present. The past focuses on the relationship between Suzy and her best ...more
But Ali Benjamin succeeded to make me care about Suzy’s best friend who drowned and died, leaving her friendless and feeling alone.
Except Suzy was already friendless even before her best friend died.
In the story, there is the past and the present. The past focuses on the relationship between Suzy and her best ...more
"If people were silent, they could hear the noise of their own lives better. If people were silent, it would make what they did say, whenever they chose to say it, more important. If people were silent, they could read one another's signals, the way underwater creatures flash lights at one another, or turn their skin different colors."
After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy refuses to speak, and she is determined to discover the true cause of why the unthinkable happened. As ...more
After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy refuses to speak, and she is determined to discover the true cause of why the unthinkable happened. As ...more
Update: Kindle $2.99 special today. Its wonderful!!!
This is THE BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK ....
If you want a book to feel uplifted and inspired ... this is a terrific choice... written by very bright talented author!'
Thank you 'Little Brown Young Readers', Netgalley, and a 'new favorite' author--
*Ali Benjamin* for the opportunity to read this.
Ali Benjamin wrote a book to be very proud about... she makes science come alive --and has us fall deeply in love with our young narrator.
Middle School ...more
This is THE BEST YOUNG ADULT BOOK ....
If you want a book to feel uplifted and inspired ... this is a terrific choice... written by very bright talented author!'
Thank you 'Little Brown Young Readers', Netgalley, and a 'new favorite' author--
*Ali Benjamin* for the opportunity to read this.
Ali Benjamin wrote a book to be very proud about... she makes science come alive --and has us fall deeply in love with our young narrator.
Middle School ...more
The Thing About Jellyfish, Ali Benjamin
The Thing About Jellyfish is a 2015 children's novel written by Ali Benjamin, her fiction debut. The book follows Suzy Swanson, the protagonist and narrator, who theorizes the death of her friend, Franny Jackson, was caused by a jellyfish sting. Suzy has just started the seventh grade, which is the second year at Eugene Field Middle School in fictional South Grove, Massachusetts. During their sixth grade year, Franny became interested in boys and started to ...more
The Thing About Jellyfish is a 2015 children's novel written by Ali Benjamin, her fiction debut. The book follows Suzy Swanson, the protagonist and narrator, who theorizes the death of her friend, Franny Jackson, was caused by a jellyfish sting. Suzy has just started the seventh grade, which is the second year at Eugene Field Middle School in fictional South Grove, Massachusetts. During their sixth grade year, Franny became interested in boys and started to ...more
Nov 02, 2016
Hannah Greendale
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
national-book-award-nominee,
middle-grade
The Thing About Jellyfish is the heartrending tale of Suzy Swanson, a little girl who just encountered the Worst Thing: death. To make sense of her grief, Suzy turns to the wonders of the universe and the dazzling expanse of her imagination.
Suzy's take on the world is both academic and poetic, despite her young age. She has one of the most romantic worldviews yet encountered in a children's book:
I liked the way patterns repeated themselves in this universe, the way a solar system could ...more
Suzy's take on the world is both academic and poetic, despite her young age. She has one of the most romantic worldviews yet encountered in a children's book:
I liked the way patterns repeated themselves in this universe, the way a solar system could ...more
Find all of my reviews at: http://52bookminimum.blogspot.com/
WARNING: SPOILER-ISH
^^^That’s a boldface lie. I read this book months ago, but I suck at keeping up with reviews so I’m just now getting around to saying something about it. First things first – this is a MIDDLE GRADE novel. (In case you’re wondering – I rate books according to how I feel they hold up when compared with others in their genre.) That being said, this is a very important middle grade story and y’all can just color me ...more
WARNING: SPOILER-ISH
^^^That’s a boldface lie. I read this book months ago, but I suck at keeping up with reviews so I’m just now getting around to saying something about it. First things first – this is a MIDDLE GRADE novel. (In case you’re wondering – I rate books according to how I feel they hold up when compared with others in their genre.) That being said, this is a very important middle grade story and y’all can just color me ...more
I liked the narrative voice, and at first I was intrigued by the connections drawn to jellyfish. But there were a LOT of jellyfishy facts, and I kept wondering why I didn't feel anything for this story of a girl who's so traumatized by her former best friend's death that she will no longer speak.
Then I finished it, and found the author's note at the end, which says that the story was born from "failure:" because it started out as a nonfiction essay about her fascination with jellyfish. That ...more
Then I finished it, and found the author's note at the end, which says that the story was born from "failure:" because it started out as a nonfiction essay about her fascination with jellyfish. That ...more
"There's no single right way to say goodbye to someone you love. But the most important thing is that you keep some part of them inside you."
The Thing About Jellyfish is a heartfelt and touching story of grief, acceptance, friendship, family and fitting in. A profound novel with a plausible voice of a girl who grieved of her loss and sought for the answers at the same time.
It is a middle-grade novel that centers to Suzy Swanson and her mission to unravel the mystery (or prove her theory) ...more
Oct 21, 2015
♛Tash
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
children-s-middle-grade
Review also on
“But a person doesn’t always know the difference between a new beginning and a forever sort of ending.”
Suzy Swanson stopped talking when her best friend Franny died in a drowning accident. Channeling her lingering guilt over her last encounter with Franny and grief, Suzy turns to silence and science. Refusing to take her mother's stoic explanation that things just happen, Suzy shuts everybody out and obsessively works out a grandiose plan to prove that a jellyfish sting is the ...more
“But a person doesn’t always know the difference between a new beginning and a forever sort of ending.”
Suzy Swanson stopped talking when her best friend Franny died in a drowning accident. Channeling her lingering guilt over her last encounter with Franny and grief, Suzy turns to silence and science. Refusing to take her mother's stoic explanation that things just happen, Suzy shuts everybody out and obsessively works out a grandiose plan to prove that a jellyfish sting is the ...more
The thing about this book, The Thing About Jellyfish, is that it didn't quite turn out to be as good as I expected it to be. The story was not original, that is one thing for sure. There are several other novels which I've read belonging to the same brotherhood, blindly following the same storyline, the central character working on some sort of a science project, dealing with death and dark demons and yada yada.
Initially, I felt that the facts about jelly fish weren't properly stitched into the ...more
Initially, I felt that the facts about jelly fish weren't properly stitched into the ...more
The Thing About Jellyfish is a beautifully written middle grade novel about the evolving nature of friendship, the labyrinth of discovering one's true identity, and the search for explanations to the mysteries of life. Being a science nerd wannabe, I relished all of the scientific facts in this book and how the book's parts were divided into the parts of the scientific method. I also enjoyed the author's anecdote in the acknowledgment section about how this book was born from the failure to get
...more
Brilliant. This book was everything.
Aug 05, 2015
Jules
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley,
young-adult
The Thing About Jellyfish is a touching tale about a young girl whose best (and only) friend drowns while on holiday. As the story progresses we discover that Suzy’s grief is much more than just the loss of her friend, but frustration at something happening without apparent reason, and regret about the things that took place between them before her friend died. Such a lot for a young soul to carry. I finished this last night, but I’m still feeling emotional about it. I’m so pleased I discovered
...more
On a Sunday evening a couple of weeks ago I met three friends for drinks and tapas at a favorite wine bar in town. We're writers, the three of us, one with nearly two dozen novels published—she and I are launching our next releases together in September, her 19th, my 2nd. Another will celebrate her debut, a literary fiction psychological thriller, in early 2018. And the third friend is in the agent query trenches with a novel that could be adult literary fiction or YA, depending on the spin and
...more
Is that they're jerks. That's all you need to know.
(view spoiler) ...more
(view spoiler) ...more
Oct 01, 2015
Kels
rated it
really liked it
Recommended to Kels by:
Neil (or bleed)
Shelves:
childrens-lit,
rl-5,
family-issues,
mg,
realistic-fiction,
bittersweet,
big-sigh,
bully-awareness,
tear-jerker,
easy-read
“It's peculiar how no-words can be better than words. Silence can say more than noise, in the same way that a person's absence can occupy even more space than their presence did."
The Thing about Jellyfish reminded me of my love for middle grade books, and why no matter how old I get, I will always return to them.
Check out my buddy Neil's glowing review for this amazingly heartfelt novel! I wanted to write a review, but his sums it up far better than I could do it justice.
“In the end, it's a...more
This frankly very strange yet wonderful middle-grade novel focuses on several themes, including grief, science and social isolation. How much is too much when it comes to mourning? When does loss become an obsession? How far should kids be pushed to say goodbye and let go of the past? These questioned are all addressed whilst Suzy tries her best to cling onto something she can understand. With the help of a caring teacher, she finds solace in science and starts learning how to move on.
Check out more reviews @ Perspective of a Writer...
After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting--things don't just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope ...more
One of the best middle grade novels I've ever read. "The Thing About Jellyfish" by Ali Benjamin beautifully deals with the tragic aftermath of grief and loss. Suzy is a very unique and slightly eccentric 12 year-old who stops talking after the death of her best friend, Franny (who perished in a drowning accident). As she tries to process her grief, she becomes fascinated with jellyfish after a class trip to the aquarium. Suzy starts to ponder if maybe Franny could've been stung by a deadly
...more
This book should be sold with a pack of kleenex. At least when it's being purchased by an adult. Kids will do just fine I suspect.
It is a warm and wonderful blend of healing from loss, dealing with being in middle school and not fitting in, learning that you have the power to hurt someone and you won't always have the chance to make it up to them. It's about the beauty of science, the ecology of our planet. It's about the nature of bravery and heroism and family and love. So, I guess it's about ...more
It is a warm and wonderful blend of healing from loss, dealing with being in middle school and not fitting in, learning that you have the power to hurt someone and you won't always have the chance to make it up to them. It's about the beauty of science, the ecology of our planet. It's about the nature of bravery and heroism and family and love. So, I guess it's about ...more
The Thing About Jellyfish is a young adult book centered on grief at a young age. Suzy, “Zu”, loses her best friend and in dealing with this tragic, unexpected loss, decides to minimize her speaking with the outside world.
It’s definitely a YA story but a touching one, that reminds readers of the traditionally tough age and mindset of middle-schoolers, and that everyone deals with grief in different ways. I also enjoyed the elements of Zu’s curiosity and interest in learning - Science was never ...more
It’s definitely a YA story but a touching one, that reminds readers of the traditionally tough age and mindset of middle-schoolers, and that everyone deals with grief in different ways. I also enjoyed the elements of Zu’s curiosity and interest in learning - Science was never ...more
This is a lovely YA book about a child's first encounter with the mourning process. Bereavement is never easy, but for children it seems to be particularly confusing. Benjamin tells us the story of a young teenage girl who loses her best friend and the difficulties she encounters coming to terms with this loss.
It may be that I have not been a teenager for a while, but some of the passages seemed unnecessarily long to me. But when I asked my students about the pacing of this book they all liked ...more
It may be that I have not been a teenager for a while, but some of the passages seemed unnecessarily long to me. But when I asked my students about the pacing of this book they all liked ...more
LOVE. And am now spewing out jellyfish facts at the brunch table like a boss.
Fans of Jennifer L. Holm's The Fourteenth Goldfish are going to love this one. It makes me happy to know that my daughters are growing up in a world where books show girl characters falling in love with science.
"A jellyfish, if you watch it long enough, begins to look like a heart beating."
So begins Ali Benjamin's first novel written from the perspective of a kid whose love of the natural and scientific world works as both a connective and disconnecting force in her life.
The story moves back and forth in time between 1) Suzy's present predicament, as she struggles to cope with the loss of her once best friend Franny, and her guilt over their last few interactions, and tries to find her voice after ...more
So begins Ali Benjamin's first novel written from the perspective of a kid whose love of the natural and scientific world works as both a connective and disconnecting force in her life.
The story moves back and forth in time between 1) Suzy's present predicament, as she struggles to cope with the loss of her once best friend Franny, and her guilt over their last few interactions, and tries to find her voice after ...more
I received a free digital copy from the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest feedback.
Suzy is 13 years old and dealing with the death of her best friend who drowned during the summer. When Suzy discovers the vast world of the jellyfish, she decides that a jellyfish sting must be why Franny died and sets out to prove it to the world.
I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did but I absolutely adored it. It was much faster-paced than I expected too. I think because I ...more
Suzy is 13 years old and dealing with the death of her best friend who drowned during the summer. When Suzy discovers the vast world of the jellyfish, she decides that a jellyfish sting must be why Franny died and sets out to prove it to the world.
I wasn't expecting to love this book as much as I did but I absolutely adored it. It was much faster-paced than I expected too. I think because I ...more
I honestly love books like this; where the synopsis has absolutely nothing to do with the story and the more you read, the more you discover, and the more you learn. I mean, yes, the basic premise of this book is about Suzy grieving over her friend Franny's death, but honestly...maybe it wasn't.
Sometimes it's hard for me to remember being a kid or getting into the mindset of being a child. I do wonder if I was younger would I have enjoyed this? Would it have made an impact on me? I hope it ...more
Sometimes it's hard for me to remember being a kid or getting into the mindset of being a child. I do wonder if I was younger would I have enjoyed this? Would it have made an impact on me? I hope it ...more
The thing about The Thing About Jellyfish ...
... is that it reads like a love letter to jellyfish with a story wedged in there, uncomfortably.
Way harsh, Tai? This is the kind of book you'll either love or not love. Ali Benjamin writes in the author's note that this book began as a paper she wrote about jellyfish that was rejected by a journal. I understand that as an author, your creations are precious; at the same time, you need to know when to let go of an idea. Now, the majority of readers ...more
... is that it reads like a love letter to jellyfish with a story wedged in there, uncomfortably.
Way harsh, Tai? This is the kind of book you'll either love or not love. Ali Benjamin writes in the author's note that this book began as a paper she wrote about jellyfish that was rejected by a journal. I understand that as an author, your creations are precious; at the same time, you need to know when to let go of an idea. Now, the majority of readers ...more
"This stunning debut novel about grief and wonder was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured widespread critical acclaim."
Yes! This book really is as good as the blurb says^
The story centers on a bright, inquisitive and awkward 12year old, Suzy ("Zu"), who is trying to make sense of her adolescent world. Her parents have divorced, her classmates tease her, and her best friend Franny has just died in a drowning accident. Suzy is convinced Franny's death had to be caused by a rare ...more
Yes! This book really is as good as the blurb says^
The story centers on a bright, inquisitive and awkward 12year old, Suzy ("Zu"), who is trying to make sense of her adolescent world. Her parents have divorced, her classmates tease her, and her best friend Franny has just died in a drowning accident. Suzy is convinced Franny's death had to be caused by a rare ...more
Hijacked with a homosexual agenda. Why can't it just be about a girl working through a problem without all the other stuff?
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The end of The Thing About Jellyfish | 1 | 4 | May 29, 2019 08:15PM |
Readers also enjoyed
Ali Benjamin has written for the Boston Globe Magazine, Martha Stewart's Whole Living, and Sesame Street. She is the co-writer for HIV+ teen Paige Rawl's coming-of-age memoir, Positive, which will be a lead title for Harper Teen this coming Fall, and which will feature an introduction by Jay Asher. She is a member of the New England Science Writers. - See more at:
...more
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“Sometimes you want things to change so badly, you can’t even stand to be in the same room with the way things actually are.”
—
86 likes
“If people were silent, they could hear the noise of their own lives better. If people were silent, it would make what they did say, whenever they chose to say it, more important. If people were silent, they could read one another's signals, the way underwater creatures flash lights at one another, or turn their skin different colors.”
—
70 likes
More quotes…
