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Seven Clues to Home
An endearing story of love and grief as one girl follows the clues in a scavenger hunt left behind by her best friend, perfect for fans of Bridge to Terabithia and Nine, Ten.
WHEN YOU'VE LOST WHAT MATTERS MOST,
HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR WAY BACK HOME?
Joy Fonseca is dreading her 13th birthday, dreading being reminded again about her best friend Lukas's senseless death on this day, one year ago -- and dreading the fact he may have heard what she accidentally blurted to him the night before. Or maybe she's more worried he didn't hear.
Either way, she's decided: she's going to finally open the first clue to their annual birthday scavenger hunt Lukas left for her the morning he died, hoping the rest of the clues are still out there. If they are, they might lead Joy to whatever last words Lukas wrote, and toward understanding how to grab onto the future that is meant to be hers.
I truly loved it! Baskin and Polisner seamlessly unfold one touching relationship after another in this gorgeous story about everlasting friendship. This tender tale is indelibly etched on my heart. --Leslie Connor, author of the National Book Award finalist The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle
Polisner and Baskin's brief tale of two quite distant friends magically manages to bridge an uncrossable gap. Seven Clues to Home is both a charming mystery and a real meditation on the complexities of the young heart in love. --Tony Abbott, Edgar Award-winning author of Firegirl and The Great Jeff
I read this whole book with a lump in my throat. A perfect gem. --Wendy Mass, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Bob
WHEN YOU'VE LOST WHAT MATTERS MOST,
HOW DO YOU FIND YOUR WAY BACK HOME?
Joy Fonseca is dreading her 13th birthday, dreading being reminded again about her best friend Lukas's senseless death on this day, one year ago -- and dreading the fact he may have heard what she accidentally blurted to him the night before. Or maybe she's more worried he didn't hear.
Either way, she's decided: she's going to finally open the first clue to their annual birthday scavenger hunt Lukas left for her the morning he died, hoping the rest of the clues are still out there. If they are, they might lead Joy to whatever last words Lukas wrote, and toward understanding how to grab onto the future that is meant to be hers.
I truly loved it! Baskin and Polisner seamlessly unfold one touching relationship after another in this gorgeous story about everlasting friendship. This tender tale is indelibly etched on my heart. --Leslie Connor, author of the National Book Award finalist The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle
Polisner and Baskin's brief tale of two quite distant friends magically manages to bridge an uncrossable gap. Seven Clues to Home is both a charming mystery and a real meditation on the complexities of the young heart in love. --Tony Abbott, Edgar Award-winning author of Firegirl and The Great Jeff
I read this whole book with a lump in my throat. A perfect gem. --Wendy Mass, New York Times bestselling coauthor of Bob
208 pages, Hardcover
First published June 9, 2020
10 people are currently reading
661 people want to read
About the author
Gae Polisner
13 books482 followersI am a wannabe mermaid and the author of THE MEMORY OF THINGS, SEVEN CLUES TO HOME and several other novels for readers young, old or in between.
Please note that, although I originally tried to assign star-ratings to my book reviews (and, thus, you will see some of my favorite books with stars), I have stopped doing so. A 3-star review, for example, can mean such different things to readers and reviewers, some rarely give more, so 3 means pretty great, to others 3 is barely mediocre. Because of this, it feels arbitrary and capricious to assign them, and I'd rather merely provide (in some cases) my brief thoughts on the book (unless I really can't help myself in giving it 5-stars, which usually means I wish there were lots more to give. . .). But for the most part, I'm only going to add the word recommended.
As for writer-me, if you want to know more about me, you can find me at my website, gaepolisner.com. You may also find me on Instagram or twitter @gaepol or on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/gaepolisnera....
I'd love to interact with you here or there. :)
Please note that, although I originally tried to assign star-ratings to my book reviews (and, thus, you will see some of my favorite books with stars), I have stopped doing so. A 3-star review, for example, can mean such different things to readers and reviewers, some rarely give more, so 3 means pretty great, to others 3 is barely mediocre. Because of this, it feels arbitrary and capricious to assign them, and I'd rather merely provide (in some cases) my brief thoughts on the book (unless I really can't help myself in giving it 5-stars, which usually means I wish there were lots more to give. . .). But for the most part, I'm only going to add the word recommended.
As for writer-me, if you want to know more about me, you can find me at my website, gaepolisner.com. You may also find me on Instagram or twitter @gaepol or on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/gaepolisnera....
I'd love to interact with you here or there. :)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
May 4, 2023
It's the writing.
It started out really good. The first three chapters were really good.
And then this alternating POVs really disrupted the flow of the story.
For a mystery solving story or let's just say for a story that involves unravelling clues.... none of it seemed interesting or rather too convenient. Yes, even for a juvenile. It just doesn't work like that.
Forty percent into the book, I was getting really impatient and I just had to stop reading. I don't care anymore about what the clues were leading the main character to.
I enjoyed the writing style in the first two chapters. After that it seemed to lose direction and clearity. The side characters and adult characters were believable but still they lacked voice.
I really wanted to like this book. But I just couldn't connect with the characters other than in the first two chapters (yes, I know 'the first two chapters' is a thing for this book☺️). I even teared up thinking about losing someone close. But it didn't last and things became really monotonous. The chapters are unnecessarily getting longer.
The chapters could have been much shorter. The writing is good but it seems like many extra lines and words have been forced upon.
That's all. Wish it was better.
Thank you, next.
It started out really good. The first three chapters were really good.
And then this alternating POVs really disrupted the flow of the story.
For a mystery solving story or let's just say for a story that involves unravelling clues.... none of it seemed interesting or rather too convenient. Yes, even for a juvenile. It just doesn't work like that.
Forty percent into the book, I was getting really impatient and I just had to stop reading. I don't care anymore about what the clues were leading the main character to.
I enjoyed the writing style in the first two chapters. After that it seemed to lose direction and clearity. The side characters and adult characters were believable but still they lacked voice.
I really wanted to like this book. But I just couldn't connect with the characters other than in the first two chapters (yes, I know 'the first two chapters' is a thing for this book☺️). I even teared up thinking about losing someone close. But it didn't last and things became really monotonous. The chapters are unnecessarily getting longer.
The chapters could have been much shorter. The writing is good but it seems like many extra lines and words have been forced upon.
That's all. Wish it was better.
Thank you, next.
June 14, 2020
It is not often that one of your favourite writers publishes two books in the same year. But that is exactly what happened, when Gae Polisner's second book came out a few days back. It felt that Christmas came a second time, and we need all the Christmases we can get during these extraordinary, challenging times. This time it is a book which is jointly written by Nora Raleigh Baskin. This is the first book by Nora Raleigh Baskin that I am reading, and I was very excited.
The story told in 'Seven Clues to Home' goes like this. It is Joy's thirteenth birthday. Her younger sister and brother knock her door and enter and jump on her and kickoff the celebrations. Joy is happy for a brief while. But then she remembers the same time last year when her best friend Lukas was still around. Something happened to him at that time (I won't tell you what) and it has been a tough year for Joy. Lukas and Joy play a scavenger hunt every year on her birthday, during which Lukas leaves clues for Joy to discover and one clue leads to another and at the end there is something beautiful waiting for Joy. Lukas left the first clue for Joy the previous year and Joy had still not opened it. She decides to open it now and goes where it takes her and what follows is many beautiful discoveries for Joy and for us.
The story is told through the voices of Joy during the present time and Lukas during the past. The prose moves the story beautifully. In books jointly written by two writers, I don't know how the two writers divide their work and whether they like their individual styles getting reflected separately on the page or whether they develop a composite style which merges their individual styles. In this book, the writing flows so smoothly, and the transition between Joy's and Lukas' voices happens so seamlessly, that it is hard to tell that two writers have written the book. It is so beautiful.
And the ending – I am dying to talk about it, at the very least I want to say whether it is happy or sad or bittersweet, but I can't do that. It is for you to read and find out.
I loved 'Seven Clues to Home'. It is one of my favourite reads of the year. I have read all of Gae Polisner's books till now – there are six of them including this one – and I loved them all. This is my first Nora Raleigh Baskin book. I am happy to discover a new favourite writer. I am excited to find out that she has written thirteen other books. It is always wonderful to discover that a new favourite writer has a big backlist. I can't wait to read them. I also heard that Gae Polisner and Nora Raleigh Baskin are collaborating on two new books. I am excited and I can't wait to read them.
I'll leave you with one of my favourite passages from the book.
"Lukas once told me that there is an infinite number of moments in every second, that every second you can halve, and then halve again and again and again. There is still time left. It might be too small for our brains to comprehend, but it exists simply because of the math of it. And it is in one of those fractions of a moment of a second that I let myself get my hopes up."
Have you read 'Seven Clues to Home'? What do you think about it?
The story told in 'Seven Clues to Home' goes like this. It is Joy's thirteenth birthday. Her younger sister and brother knock her door and enter and jump on her and kickoff the celebrations. Joy is happy for a brief while. But then she remembers the same time last year when her best friend Lukas was still around. Something happened to him at that time (I won't tell you what) and it has been a tough year for Joy. Lukas and Joy play a scavenger hunt every year on her birthday, during which Lukas leaves clues for Joy to discover and one clue leads to another and at the end there is something beautiful waiting for Joy. Lukas left the first clue for Joy the previous year and Joy had still not opened it. She decides to open it now and goes where it takes her and what follows is many beautiful discoveries for Joy and for us.
The story is told through the voices of Joy during the present time and Lukas during the past. The prose moves the story beautifully. In books jointly written by two writers, I don't know how the two writers divide their work and whether they like their individual styles getting reflected separately on the page or whether they develop a composite style which merges their individual styles. In this book, the writing flows so smoothly, and the transition between Joy's and Lukas' voices happens so seamlessly, that it is hard to tell that two writers have written the book. It is so beautiful.
And the ending – I am dying to talk about it, at the very least I want to say whether it is happy or sad or bittersweet, but I can't do that. It is for you to read and find out.
I loved 'Seven Clues to Home'. It is one of my favourite reads of the year. I have read all of Gae Polisner's books till now – there are six of them including this one – and I loved them all. This is my first Nora Raleigh Baskin book. I am happy to discover a new favourite writer. I am excited to find out that she has written thirteen other books. It is always wonderful to discover that a new favourite writer has a big backlist. I can't wait to read them. I also heard that Gae Polisner and Nora Raleigh Baskin are collaborating on two new books. I am excited and I can't wait to read them.
I'll leave you with one of my favourite passages from the book.
"Lukas once told me that there is an infinite number of moments in every second, that every second you can halve, and then halve again and again and again. There is still time left. It might be too small for our brains to comprehend, but it exists simply because of the math of it. And it is in one of those fractions of a moment of a second that I let myself get my hopes up."
Have you read 'Seven Clues to Home'? What do you think about it?
January 14, 2020
My heart is still inside this book. My pre-teen heart is still inside this book. With universal themes of friendship and who you love, and grief and growing, it's a book that will hit home with everyone.
Home is also an important idea in this book - who is your home? where is your home? is a home more than a family?
Written in alternate voices between our two main characters, Joy and Lukas, and written in two different time periods, takes us on a scavenger hunt. One story line tells us how the scavenger hunt unfolded and one perspective, and the other story line has us follow the character on the scavenger hunt. Meanwhile the reader is putting both pieces of the story together and while you know you're in for heartache by the end of the story, it also will put your heart back together in the other story line.
I don't want to say too much, because you just need to find out for yourself.
Home is also an important idea in this book - who is your home? where is your home? is a home more than a family?
Written in alternate voices between our two main characters, Joy and Lukas, and written in two different time periods, takes us on a scavenger hunt. One story line tells us how the scavenger hunt unfolded and one perspective, and the other story line has us follow the character on the scavenger hunt. Meanwhile the reader is putting both pieces of the story together and while you know you're in for heartache by the end of the story, it also will put your heart back together in the other story line.
I don't want to say too much, because you just need to find out for yourself.
April 18, 2020
Received an ARC courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley
I shed a bunch of tears while reading this. I liked the parts about friendship, but I wish there was more story at the end.
I shed a bunch of tears while reading this. I liked the parts about friendship, but I wish there was more story at the end.
December 15, 2019
“But something else is pulling at me, knocking around in my insides, starting out like a whisper, like a song I sang all the time, but now I forget the words. (146)
Joy and Lukas met in second grade when, celebrating summer birthdays, they discovered their August birthdays were only two days apart. And they became best friends for the next five years. They even knew they would always be best friends, “Keepers of Secrets, Wizards of Clues, Growers of Gardens, King and Queen of Summer Birthdays, Holders of Hearts” (193)
But “there are some moments that change everything…” (157)
When Lukas dies on Joy’s twelfth birthday, she lives through a year of pain and grief. On her thirteenth birthday, she decides to follow the clues that, as was their tradition, Lukas had left for her birthday the previous year.
This captivating novel which grabbed my heart and squeezed it, as I wanted to keep reading but couldn’t face finishing and leaving these lovable characters, is written in alternating chapters narrated by Joy and Lukas.
Readers follow Lukas though the day before Joy’s 12th birthday as he hides the clues leading to her present and wrestles with giving her the heart necklace that will declare his new feelings, fearful that she will not feel the same. Readers shadow Joy on her 13th birthday as she escapes the house and follows the clues around town. “I don’t think I’ve been on my own, unaccounted for, this long in my whole life. But it feels good. Kind of like being let out after being hidden away—even if I did the hiding myself—like the sky clearing, and the air smells so fresh.” (133)
We experience the depth of their friendship through memories and their commitment to the birthday clues. We also meet the family and townspeople who care about them.
There are moments that change everything and books that change everything. Seven Clues will be that book for many readers, especially those experiencing loss.
Joy and Lukas met in second grade when, celebrating summer birthdays, they discovered their August birthdays were only two days apart. And they became best friends for the next five years. They even knew they would always be best friends, “Keepers of Secrets, Wizards of Clues, Growers of Gardens, King and Queen of Summer Birthdays, Holders of Hearts” (193)
But “there are some moments that change everything…” (157)
When Lukas dies on Joy’s twelfth birthday, she lives through a year of pain and grief. On her thirteenth birthday, she decides to follow the clues that, as was their tradition, Lukas had left for her birthday the previous year.
This captivating novel which grabbed my heart and squeezed it, as I wanted to keep reading but couldn’t face finishing and leaving these lovable characters, is written in alternating chapters narrated by Joy and Lukas.
Readers follow Lukas though the day before Joy’s 12th birthday as he hides the clues leading to her present and wrestles with giving her the heart necklace that will declare his new feelings, fearful that she will not feel the same. Readers shadow Joy on her 13th birthday as she escapes the house and follows the clues around town. “I don’t think I’ve been on my own, unaccounted for, this long in my whole life. But it feels good. Kind of like being let out after being hidden away—even if I did the hiding myself—like the sky clearing, and the air smells so fresh.” (133)
We experience the depth of their friendship through memories and their commitment to the birthday clues. We also meet the family and townspeople who care about them.
There are moments that change everything and books that change everything. Seven Clues will be that book for many readers, especially those experiencing loss.
December 30, 2020
What a beautiful middle grade novel that reminds us no one is ever truly gone if they continue to live on in our hearts. The story is told in alternating chapter between two characters: Joy in present day on her 13th birthday, and Lukas exactly one year ago, on the last day of his life. Lukas had set up a birthday scavenger hunt on that fateful day, and until now Joy couldn't bring herself to follow the seven clues. As she does, she discovers (rediscovers) the gift of friendship that keeps on giving. Not as sad as you might imagine; I found a tear or two in my eye, but warmth in my heart. So well-written by two authors I truly admire. I am always amazed by that creative process and synergy.
August 13, 2020
I loved this book. (I didn’t expect to as there seem to be a number of “dead friend” books that are mediocre).
The descriptions were wonderful. I could almost taste and smell the pizza in the pizza shop.
Joy’s emotions and responses to her situation felt genuine.
The alternating chapters added interest to the story all well, as the reader shifted back and forth between present and past.
I think students from Gr 5-8 would be the perfect age group for this book.
Enjoy!
The descriptions were wonderful. I could almost taste and smell the pizza in the pizza shop.
Joy’s emotions and responses to her situation felt genuine.
The alternating chapters added interest to the story all well, as the reader shifted back and forth between present and past.
I think students from Gr 5-8 would be the perfect age group for this book.
Enjoy!
November 15, 2025
Compared to some other middle grade grief books I’ve read recently I don’t think this was the strongest one. The dual povs didn’t mesh well because it felt like we were giving the answer to the mystery, and then watching it play out? Maybe this is someone’s style but it didn’t make sense to me. I felt the whole time like I was putting effort into switching between povs and it took me out of the story a bit, particularly at the start. The duel povs did a nice job at creating this fated romance vibe and adding tension because we don’t know if they find out they love eachother and some of Lukas’s descriptions of her were adorable. Maybe it could’ve been interesting having the first half one character and the second half illuminating things by giving the other character? I think this could’ve been better as just one of their stories, Joy is the obvious one but I found Lukas’s narrative to get more interesting as it went on, so maybe Lukas’s story with a Joy section at the end… I really don’t know but I feel like Joy’s world didn’t feel as well-explored in the second half, nothing really changed for her in the middle whereas our knowledge of Luke’s grew. Really I just think this book could do with some editing and I’m putting this review on spoilers so that hopefully it doesn’t find people who are looking to read it because I wouldn’t want to stop people reading it because it’s not that bad, but after reading a book I like knowing what others thought which is why this is here.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2020
“This is part of what it is to be thirteen. To go on a journey and end up right back home. To love someone who loved you back, and still have to say goodbye to them.”
Good god y’all I’m a mess.
My emotions are all over the place right now but what better time to write your review?!
An endearing story of love and grief as one girl follows the clues in a scavenger hunt left behind by her best friend.
This story takes us on a scavenger hunt told by our two main characters. On one side we see how Lukas planned the scavenger hunt, and on the other we follow Joy on the scavenger hunt.
This is a middle grade/YA novel but people of all ages can enjoy this one.
Be prepared with tissues because this is a tearjerker! I was honestly not ready for such a beautiful story.
Thank you @netgalley and @knopfteen for letting me read this gorgeous book early.
I plan to purchase a copy of this book when it comes out!
Good god y’all I’m a mess.
My emotions are all over the place right now but what better time to write your review?!
An endearing story of love and grief as one girl follows the clues in a scavenger hunt left behind by her best friend.
This story takes us on a scavenger hunt told by our two main characters. On one side we see how Lukas planned the scavenger hunt, and on the other we follow Joy on the scavenger hunt.
This is a middle grade/YA novel but people of all ages can enjoy this one.
Be prepared with tissues because this is a tearjerker! I was honestly not ready for such a beautiful story.
Thank you @netgalley and @knopfteen for letting me read this gorgeous book early.
I plan to purchase a copy of this book when it comes out!
May 18, 2020
“This is part of what it is to be thirteen. To go on a journey and end up right back home. To love someone who loved you back, and still have to say goodbye to them.”
Good god y’all I’m a mess.
My emotions are all over the place right now but what better time to write your review?!
An endearing story of love and grief as one girl follows the clues in a scavenger hunt left behind by her best friend.
This story takes us on a scavenger hunt told by our two main characters. On one side we see how Lukas planned the scavenger hunt, and on the other we follow Joy on the scavenger hunt.
This is a middle grade/YA novel but people of all ages can enjoy this one.
Be prepared with tissues because this is a tearjerker! I was honestly not ready for such a beautiful story.
Thank you @netgalley and @knopfteen for letting me read this gorgeous book early.
I plan to purchase a copy of this book when it comes out!
Read
August 7, 2023This was emotionally intense and perfect for your students who can't get enough sad books. Read it in one big, tearful gulp.
January 6, 2020
Jacob and Leslie from Bridge to Terabithia meet Kevin and Winnie from The Wonder Years in this touching middle grade novel. There are also, as usual for both of these authors, homages to novels such as To Kill a Mockingbird and The Catcher in the Rye, poems by Emily Dickinson and Shel Silverstein, and many other delightful references to the literature that forms us not only in our youth, but also into adulthood.
The tension between past (narrated by Lukas) and present (narrated by Joy) keeps the pages of this novel turning. The solution to this mystery, or rather Joy’s discovery of clues she needs to solve her birthday scavenger hunt, are central to the novel’s plot. But the self-discovery of both characters in the novel is truly where its heart is. Other characters are thoughtfully developed, and the authors don’t shy away from real life stress. For example, Lucas’ mother, now widowed, is presumably left with a lot of debt when her husband dies of cancer, and it’s the sale of their home and downsizing to an apartment that leads to Lukas and Joy’s meeting.
The resentments and ensuing rebellions of Lukas’ older brother are well established, as are the tensions of living life with a single mom whose new boyfriend doesn’t meet the standards of their dead father.
Joy‘s nuclear family of six lives in an apartment, and she has a younger brother whose developmental speech delay, though not described in too much detail in the novel, endear him all the more to Lukas.
And the respect and regard that these authors have for great teachers cannot be left without mention. There are references to meaningful educators and their impact on the characters throughout the novel, most memorably the second grade teacher who is a father figure to Lukas.
If you are an educator or a curriculum director reading this review, the novel would be a great choice for One School One Book or a whole class novel unit followed by lit circle/book clubs with titles by both authors: The Summer of Letting Go (Polisner), The Pull of Gravity (Polisner), Nine, Ten (Baskin), Anything But Typical (Baskin) and Ruby on the Outside (Baskin).
The tension between past (narrated by Lukas) and present (narrated by Joy) keeps the pages of this novel turning. The solution to this mystery, or rather Joy’s discovery of clues she needs to solve her birthday scavenger hunt, are central to the novel’s plot. But the self-discovery of both characters in the novel is truly where its heart is. Other characters are thoughtfully developed, and the authors don’t shy away from real life stress. For example, Lucas’ mother, now widowed, is presumably left with a lot of debt when her husband dies of cancer, and it’s the sale of their home and downsizing to an apartment that leads to Lukas and Joy’s meeting.
The resentments and ensuing rebellions of Lukas’ older brother are well established, as are the tensions of living life with a single mom whose new boyfriend doesn’t meet the standards of their dead father.
Joy‘s nuclear family of six lives in an apartment, and she has a younger brother whose developmental speech delay, though not described in too much detail in the novel, endear him all the more to Lukas.
And the respect and regard that these authors have for great teachers cannot be left without mention. There are references to meaningful educators and their impact on the characters throughout the novel, most memorably the second grade teacher who is a father figure to Lukas.
If you are an educator or a curriculum director reading this review, the novel would be a great choice for One School One Book or a whole class novel unit followed by lit circle/book clubs with titles by both authors: The Summer of Letting Go (Polisner), The Pull of Gravity (Polisner), Nine, Ten (Baskin), Anything But Typical (Baskin) and Ruby on the Outside (Baskin).
April 17, 2020
***Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a complimentary copy of SEVEN CLUES TO HOME by Gae Polisner and Nora Raleigh Baskin in exchange for my honest review***”
Today is Joy’s birthday and exactly one year since her best friend Lukas died. This year, her thirteenth birthday, will be the first since second grade without him. There’ll be no new scavenger hunt, an annual tradition they shared. She does have the first clue from last year, one she never got to read.
Told in both Joy’s and Lukas’s first person points of views, Lukas from the past and Joy the present, SEVEN CLUES TO HOME takes readers through Joy’s quest, and through her grief as she searches for clues.
I loved both Joy and Lukas, smart, funny and kind kids. Lukas’s older brother has a “bad reputation”, but seems like a typical teenager with an appropriate level of rebellion and boundary testing. The death of Lukas’s father, his alcoholic stepfather and their low income status add dimension to his life experiences. I appreciated that writers Gae Polisner and Nora Raleigh Baskin avoided the trope of the abusive or mean alcoholic stepfather as substance abusing parents are often portrayed in children’s literature. Joy didn’t feel much joy since her best friend’s death yet she had enough love to share with her adoring younger siblings, which couldn’t have been easy while grieving.
I read SEVEN CLUES TO HOME in one sitting, lamenting that no one ever made me a scavenger hunt. The clues were difficult enough not to be simple, yet they were solvable and made sense.
SEVEN CLUES TO HOME is a great addition to libraries and classrooms. I hope Gae Polisner and Nora Raleigh Baskin decide to write a sequel about Joy’s life moving forward.
Today is Joy’s birthday and exactly one year since her best friend Lukas died. This year, her thirteenth birthday, will be the first since second grade without him. There’ll be no new scavenger hunt, an annual tradition they shared. She does have the first clue from last year, one she never got to read.
Told in both Joy’s and Lukas’s first person points of views, Lukas from the past and Joy the present, SEVEN CLUES TO HOME takes readers through Joy’s quest, and through her grief as she searches for clues.
I loved both Joy and Lukas, smart, funny and kind kids. Lukas’s older brother has a “bad reputation”, but seems like a typical teenager with an appropriate level of rebellion and boundary testing. The death of Lukas’s father, his alcoholic stepfather and their low income status add dimension to his life experiences. I appreciated that writers Gae Polisner and Nora Raleigh Baskin avoided the trope of the abusive or mean alcoholic stepfather as substance abusing parents are often portrayed in children’s literature. Joy didn’t feel much joy since her best friend’s death yet she had enough love to share with her adoring younger siblings, which couldn’t have been easy while grieving.
I read SEVEN CLUES TO HOME in one sitting, lamenting that no one ever made me a scavenger hunt. The clues were difficult enough not to be simple, yet they were solvable and made sense.
SEVEN CLUES TO HOME is a great addition to libraries and classrooms. I hope Gae Polisner and Nora Raleigh Baskin decide to write a sequel about Joy’s life moving forward.
June 6, 2020
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.
This is hands down one of the best books I've read, not only recently, but ever. It is that magical middle grade novel that will appeal to a variety of readers, is not too childish, nor is it too graphic. It hits all the right notes, and it leaves the reader thinking about the story after the last page. I loved it.
Joy isn't exactly looking forward to her birthday. Because that means it has been one whole year since what happened to Lukas, her best friend, happened. And their birthdays used to be special, only a few days apart in the summer. In order to celebrate them together, they both created scavenger hunts for the other person, and now it's over. Because Lukas is gone. So, on the morning of her 13th birthday, Joy doesn't feel much like celebrating. But she does finally decide to look at the note that was left for her one year ago. And she sets out on the path to solve the clues in the scavenger hunt, even after all this time, to see if she can find out what Lukas was leading her towards.
Told in alternating chapters, with Joy's current point of view, and Lukas's point of view a year ago as he set out the clues, this is a fantastic look at grief, friendship, growing up, finding yourself, and realizing that life does in fact go on, even if you don't think it will.
Highly recommend. This is a first purchase type of book.
This is hands down one of the best books I've read, not only recently, but ever. It is that magical middle grade novel that will appeal to a variety of readers, is not too childish, nor is it too graphic. It hits all the right notes, and it leaves the reader thinking about the story after the last page. I loved it.
Joy isn't exactly looking forward to her birthday. Because that means it has been one whole year since what happened to Lukas, her best friend, happened. And their birthdays used to be special, only a few days apart in the summer. In order to celebrate them together, they both created scavenger hunts for the other person, and now it's over. Because Lukas is gone. So, on the morning of her 13th birthday, Joy doesn't feel much like celebrating. But she does finally decide to look at the note that was left for her one year ago. And she sets out on the path to solve the clues in the scavenger hunt, even after all this time, to see if she can find out what Lukas was leading her towards.
Told in alternating chapters, with Joy's current point of view, and Lukas's point of view a year ago as he set out the clues, this is a fantastic look at grief, friendship, growing up, finding yourself, and realizing that life does in fact go on, even if you don't think it will.
Highly recommend. This is a first purchase type of book.
June 4, 2020
Turning thirteen is typically a momentous day in the life of any adolescent. But for Joy, in Seven Clues to Home written by Gae Polisner and Nora Raleigh Baskin, this birthday isn’t going to taste like anything sweet. This day is now just a reminder of her best friend Lukas’s death.
Both characters alternate narrating this story. In the present, Joy dips her toes into the grief that she’s tried to avoid. The reader finds Lukas one year in the past, preparing Joy’s scavenger hunt. While their tradition is to search for birthday gifts, they are also scavenging for other answers. For example, how to accept or understand the flaws of those we love most or how to navigate relationships as they change. We follow Joy and Lukas on their respective journeys, as they trudge through complicated family dynamics, the often confusing process of growing up, and the possibility of moving forward after loss.
Seven Clues to Home celebrates love and friendship but it doesn’t avoid the hard stuff. It has masterful story-telling, beautiful writing, and characters like Joy and Lukas who you won’t soon forget. I didn’t want this book to end and I know it is one I will return to. This story made me cry actual human tears. Seven Clues to Home belongs on the shelf in every middle grade classroom. I will be buying multiple copies.
Both characters alternate narrating this story. In the present, Joy dips her toes into the grief that she’s tried to avoid. The reader finds Lukas one year in the past, preparing Joy’s scavenger hunt. While their tradition is to search for birthday gifts, they are also scavenging for other answers. For example, how to accept or understand the flaws of those we love most or how to navigate relationships as they change. We follow Joy and Lukas on their respective journeys, as they trudge through complicated family dynamics, the often confusing process of growing up, and the possibility of moving forward after loss.
Seven Clues to Home celebrates love and friendship but it doesn’t avoid the hard stuff. It has masterful story-telling, beautiful writing, and characters like Joy and Lukas who you won’t soon forget. I didn’t want this book to end and I know it is one I will return to. This story made me cry actual human tears. Seven Clues to Home belongs on the shelf in every middle grade classroom. I will be buying multiple copies.
May 14, 2020
I read this book with a tiny bit of trepidation as we know from the beginning that one of the narrators, Lukas, has died. I didn't want to get too attached to him, knowing that somewhere in this novel he would leave it. And yet, I did anyway. I'm so grateful I did.
This middle grade novel tells an endearing story of a treasured friendship between Joy and Lukas who bonded when they were in second grade and realized their August birthdays were only two days apart. This inital bond started a birthday tradition where each would create for the other a scavenger hunt to follow to celebrate their special days. The novel's plot unravels as we hear about Lukas's journey of setting up what would be their final scavenger hunt, and Joy's journey of following it one year after the passing of her best friend. As readers plant or find the seven clues with these characters, we learn about their complicated families and their challenges, and why this friendship is truly a special one.
Beautiful book. Tear jerker, certainly, but it is worth every tissue and more.
This middle grade novel tells an endearing story of a treasured friendship between Joy and Lukas who bonded when they were in second grade and realized their August birthdays were only two days apart. This inital bond started a birthday tradition where each would create for the other a scavenger hunt to follow to celebrate their special days. The novel's plot unravels as we hear about Lukas's journey of setting up what would be their final scavenger hunt, and Joy's journey of following it one year after the passing of her best friend. As readers plant or find the seven clues with these characters, we learn about their complicated families and their challenges, and why this friendship is truly a special one.
Beautiful book. Tear jerker, certainly, but it is worth every tissue and more.
November 9, 2024
This was such a sad, heavy, heartbreaking book about young love and letting go. Adults tell kids to let it go all the time and they hardly listen. It’s usually when they are fighting over a toy or something silly like that. But if someone tells you to let go of a close friend who you never even got to say “I love you” to? It’s impossible. Or at least, it seems impossible to Joy. She can’t seem to get past that heavy grieving feeling in her chest. Maybe what she needs to do is face her fears and find out whether he loved her- for sure. Maybe she needs to search for clues in a scavenger hunt to feel complete. Maybe she just needs to move past that sad feeling and move on with her life. Maybe she needs to except the fact that she doesn’t know everything and be okay with it. Maybe a little of each. Read to find out! This book gives you all the answers and teaches you about love, friendship, moving on, sibling hood and so much more. What a fantastic book.
June 14, 2020
Seven Clues to Home will definitely be on my best books for 2020!
Nora&Gae/Gae&Nora make a brilliant team and this is a brilliant, beautiful novel.
Joy and Lukas captured my heart and will live in it for a long time. Finishing the last page, my first reaction was that these authors created a classic—one of those novels that will be meaningful ten years from now, twenty years from now, forty years from now. It has that timeless feel and I can see this on many Best of 2020 MG lists.
It doesn't matter if you don't read MG novels. This is a book anyone at any age can appreciate. So add it to your list! Ask librarians to purchase it. Buy it for your kid, but then make sure to read it yourself. I can't wait to read the next book by Gae&Nora/Nora&Gae. Thank you both for this magnificent gift!
Nora&Gae/Gae&Nora make a brilliant team and this is a brilliant, beautiful novel.
Joy and Lukas captured my heart and will live in it for a long time. Finishing the last page, my first reaction was that these authors created a classic—one of those novels that will be meaningful ten years from now, twenty years from now, forty years from now. It has that timeless feel and I can see this on many Best of 2020 MG lists.
It doesn't matter if you don't read MG novels. This is a book anyone at any age can appreciate. So add it to your list! Ask librarians to purchase it. Buy it for your kid, but then make sure to read it yourself. I can't wait to read the next book by Gae&Nora/Nora&Gae. Thank you both for this magnificent gift!
June 13, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book.
Seven Clues To Home is a middle grade novel that explores themes of friendship, family, loss, and grief.
From the get go, you already know Lukas, Joy's best friend, has died. The story is told thru alternating POV between the present, Joy, and one year ago, Lukas. Following the clues, and leading up to what happened that day, beautifully tells a story of their lives and their friendship until the tragedy that happened that day on her birthday last year. The ending felt a little abrupt, but still made me emotional.
Seven Clues To Home is a middle grade novel that explores themes of friendship, family, loss, and grief.
From the get go, you already know Lukas, Joy's best friend, has died. The story is told thru alternating POV between the present, Joy, and one year ago, Lukas. Following the clues, and leading up to what happened that day, beautifully tells a story of their lives and their friendship until the tragedy that happened that day on her birthday last year. The ending felt a little abrupt, but still made me emotional.
June 23, 2020
Grief is real. Grief is a process. Grief doesn’t discriminate.
This beautiful story walks us alongside 13 year old Joy while she deals with the tragic loss of her best friend, Lukas. It’s told from Joy’s present day POV and Lukas’s past POV. The alternating timeline allows us to understand what Joy was searching for in their annual birthday scavenger hunt. Although the hunt was solved in a day, the healing would still take time.
Thankful for Netgalley and the publishers allowing me the opportunity to read this story.
This beautiful story walks us alongside 13 year old Joy while she deals with the tragic loss of her best friend, Lukas. It’s told from Joy’s present day POV and Lukas’s past POV. The alternating timeline allows us to understand what Joy was searching for in their annual birthday scavenger hunt. Although the hunt was solved in a day, the healing would still take time.
Thankful for Netgalley and the publishers allowing me the opportunity to read this story.
November 14, 2019
This is the type of book I wanted to fall into and read without stopping. But the tragedy I knew was coming prevented that, as I wanted Lukas' story to continue. Instead, I savored each chapter, taking a break from the book every 2 chapters as I learned the story of Joy and Lukas. It turns out that approach let me appreciate the skill of the authors even more, as they wove dual perspectives into one coherent amazing, and ultimately uplifting, story.
August 9, 2021
I read this whole thing in (mostly) one sitting. It was really good! There were quite a few run-on sentences, but it just makes the character voices more authentic. I mean, what 12-year-old boy doesn’t write (and speak, for that matter) with run-on sentences? Also, I really appreciate the use of the word “whelmed”. Not sure if the author thinks she came up with it, or if she’s a Young Justice fan, but either way, I got excited when I saw that word.
June 10, 2020
Inside this book
is the story of two friends
Take a peek between pages
to find a girl
whose heart needs to mend
and the boy who uses his words
to show her that death
does not mean that their _____ for one another ends
This is a journey through grief, one that forces you to look it right in the eyes and embrace the journey no matter how difficult it is.
is the story of two friends
Take a peek between pages
to find a girl
whose heart needs to mend
and the boy who uses his words
to show her that death
does not mean that their _____ for one another ends
This is a journey through grief, one that forces you to look it right in the eyes and embrace the journey no matter how difficult it is.
May 10, 2020
This is an excellent title that kids would enjoy for summer reading. It's a beautifully told story that would offer lots of entry points for serious discussions about friendship, grief, and family. The writing is strong, and I can already picture students recommending this book to their peers. Thank you Knopf and NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
December 8, 2019
This book is amazing. I could not put it down. I finished the book in one day. It is sad, It is happy, and it is hopeful. I didn’t want the story to end. The alternating character chapters were perfect for this story.
July 6, 2020
این کتاب که حاوی مطالبی مانند اهمیت دوستی بین دو فرد ، مشکلات خانوادگی تاثیرگذار بر روابط و مسائل روحی و از دست دادن عزیزان است در غالب دو راوی با فاصله زمانی یکسال طرح شده است. فرم خاص آن خواننده را به جلو پیش می برد و غم پشت مرگ لوکاس و صدمه دیدن جوی از آن در تک تک صفحات آن حس می شود.
January 26, 2021
Told in dual perspectives of Joy, in present day, and Lukas in the past. This middle grade novel will have you laughing and crying, but will also reinforce the fact that life is a precious gift. We should live each day to the fullest because it could be our last.
July 24, 2020
Sweet and tender...
May 22, 2020
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A BIG Thank You to Netgalley and Knopf Books for providing me an advanced reader’s copy of “Seven Clues to Home” for my review.
I rarely get emotional and teary-eyed whenever I am reading a story. I certainly never thought I would bawl at the end of a middle grade novel. But this book just had me hooked and touched my heart.
When I initially started reading this book, I really did not know what to expect. The story is a simple one of friendship and I didn’t know how it would turn out. The timelines are a bit confusing in the beginning, but after the first few chapters, you get a handle of what is happening. However, after those minor hiccups, everything fell into place and grabbed my attention. It covers some serious topics like grief, loss, death, friendship and family.
The authors did a wonderful job in narrating the story between the two characters. The main characters, Joy and Lukas are so adorable together. They are so innocent and lovable, even if the situations around them are not. I loved Lukas and how he treated Joy even though he didn’t have a proper life at home. I also loved Joy’s relationship with Natalia. Mr. Carter was adorable too and I wished I had a teacher like him growing up.
The whole concept of the scavenger hunt was also great! I kept guessing as to what the clues were at times. There are a few twists and turns that surprised me, but also made the book feel realistic. I really cannot complain about anything in this story; I loved every bit of it. The story is simple with a heart-warming plot with solid characters. It’s a book that makes you realize how precious our times with our friends and family are, and we have to make it memorable.
Overall, I loved reading “Seven Clues to Home” . I feel is one of the best middle grade books I have read this year!
My doodle sketch 🥰🥰🥰
February 28, 2025
Age group: 11 - 15+
This book dealt with grief in a beautiful way. It had many sweet moments between the two main characters, Joy and Lukas. There were a few times in the book where some moments seemed just too coincidental (i.e. how Lukas died), but it was still enjoyable to read.
Great Discussion Questions:
The book switches perspectives between Joy and Lukas. Do you like how this was done? Whose perspective was your favorite and why?
Do you think it is a good idea for Lukas to tell Joy how he feels about her? Did you like the idea of a scavenger hunt for her to figure it out?
Do you think it is a good idea for Joy to go on the scavenger hunt? Do you think she should have told her parents what was going on?
Joy and Lukas’ birthdays are very close to each other, Joy even explaining the birthday paradox. Do you share a birthday, or a close-birthday, with someone you know?
When Joy says, “I wish we could always be friends,” to Lukas, Lukas assumes that she means they would only stay friends, nothing more. Do you think this is what Joy was saying?
What was your favorite clue in the scavenger hunt? Why?
If you were making a scavenger hunt, which places would you include?
When Joy is looking for the Revo Rocket, the boy at the counter says they have no more left in stock. Joy immediately feels defeat, but she says she welcomes it since if she got to the last clue, everything would be over. Do you agree with her? Why or why not?
Which of the past memories of Lukas and Joy was your favorite? Why?
Did you like how the chapters suddenly became shorter towards the end as Joy figures out the last clue and we begin to find out how Lukas died?
For those of you who have siblings, do you think the sibling interactions were accurate?
Who were your favorite and least favorite characters in this book? What were your favorite and least favorite moments in this book?
This book dealt with grief in a beautiful way. It had many sweet moments between the two main characters, Joy and Lukas. There were a few times in the book where some moments seemed just too coincidental (i.e. how Lukas died), but it was still enjoyable to read.
Great Discussion Questions:
The book switches perspectives between Joy and Lukas. Do you like how this was done? Whose perspective was your favorite and why?
Do you think it is a good idea for Lukas to tell Joy how he feels about her? Did you like the idea of a scavenger hunt for her to figure it out?
Do you think it is a good idea for Joy to go on the scavenger hunt? Do you think she should have told her parents what was going on?
Joy and Lukas’ birthdays are very close to each other, Joy even explaining the birthday paradox. Do you share a birthday, or a close-birthday, with someone you know?
When Joy says, “I wish we could always be friends,” to Lukas, Lukas assumes that she means they would only stay friends, nothing more. Do you think this is what Joy was saying?
What was your favorite clue in the scavenger hunt? Why?
If you were making a scavenger hunt, which places would you include?
When Joy is looking for the Revo Rocket, the boy at the counter says they have no more left in stock. Joy immediately feels defeat, but she says she welcomes it since if she got to the last clue, everything would be over. Do you agree with her? Why or why not?
Which of the past memories of Lukas and Joy was your favorite? Why?
Did you like how the chapters suddenly became shorter towards the end as Joy figures out the last clue and we begin to find out how Lukas died?
For those of you who have siblings, do you think the sibling interactions were accurate?
Who were your favorite and least favorite characters in this book? What were your favorite and least favorite moments in this book?
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