The Problem with Gravity

by Michelle Mohrweis

A heartfelt selection for STEAM, LGBTQ+, and neurodivergent readers, this companion novel to The Trouble with Robots charmingly explores first crushes.

Autistic seventh-grader Maggie Weir loves spacecraft, but aerospace engineering isn’t the only thing that gives her butterflies: she’s teamed up with the amazing, baton-twirling Tatum Jones for an engineering contest! It’s an out of this world chance for Maggie to tell Tatum, her long time crush, how she feels. Only, Tatum is distracted with her own troubles at home. Worse still, when Maggie learns that her dad wants to move to Houston, her whole universe gets shaken up! Now she has a big decision to make: does she stay with her mom and remain in Tatum’s orbit, or does she launch her dreams of visiting NASA by following her Dad? If the stars are meant to align between these two, they’ll both have to admit their feelings before Maggie leaves forever.

An easy-to-follow, dual perspective narrative that compassionately explores themes of separation, healthy friendship, and sibling rivalry. Another lovable cast of characters in the Barton Junior High universe!

Genres: Middle Grade, LGBT, Lesbian, Contemporary, Disability, Queer, Romance

288 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 23, 2023

About the author

Michelle Mohrweis is a STEM Educator and space enthusiast. When not writing, they can be found launching paper rockets down the middle of their street. They live with their husband and two dogs in Colorado, where they enjoy hiking and hogging all the best spots beside the heater when it gets too cold. Visit them on the web at MichelleMohrweis.com.

​Michelle is represented by Emily Forney at BookEnds Literary Agency.

Reviews

[Bailey · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was really cute! I love the way Mohrweis writes about neurodiversity and includes representation of all kinds of people within their novels. I also loved that at no point is this a "coming out" story for either queerness or disability. The characters happen to be queer and/or disabled, but the drives of the story are things like divorce and parental expectations that could resonate with any reader. I also really appreciate that these books always feature girls interested in (and good at!) STEM. Overall, such a lovely book for middle grade readers or those on the younger side of YA.

[the.james.bookshelf · Rating 3 out of 5]

#3.75

📖The problem with gravity

It’s about Maggie, who has the biggest crush on Tatum, a popular girl with really good grades.
Tatum is constantly trying to impress her parents, who are always praising her brother Evan who’s a genius ending up comparing both of them on multiple occasions making her feel bad about herself. Tatum plays the baton twirling it in the air and she’s really talented on it but even so her parents don’t give out a slight hint of interest. Tatum’s best friend is Jade non-binary and they both help each other like
Maggie is autistic and has ADHD, her parents have been arguing a lot and she wants to go back to how a year ago when they’re were all ok. And Maggie’s best friend is Shawn who’s autistic and helps her, that are also neighbours.
Maggie and Tatum start talking a little while after they get assigned a project together, Project Responsibility.

Well this was a lovely book, the pacing was a bit off at the beginning. But it got better along the way. I like how they show autism in a very clear that you can understand what is going on in one’s head. I felt sad every time Tatum felt like she wasn’t seen by her parents. Like my family is a little disputable in the way how we are said family. Overall the book was good so I’d say I recommend it if you wanna read more self discovery, autism and ADHD, and messy family relationships.

[ChickLiterally · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to get access to an eArc via netgalley. This book was refreshing in a lot of ways. Lots of great representation: women/nb in STEM, queer, non-binary, and neurodivergent (autism and adhd). And while not mentioned, I definitely sensed an undiagnosed adult with adhd (which made all the sense in the world, but was not addressed, but left readers attuned to it to speculate).

AuDHD Seventh grade space fanatic Maggie has a crush on 8th grade popular baton twirler Tatum. What will happen when the two are paired up for a school project? Will they succeed?

Uuuugh I just wanted to give Tatum a hug so bad and tell her she’s doing great. I just so appreciated how in this world that Mohrweis created, that these kids are doing the best they can amongst imperfect parents and adults. Parents can suck and they can fail, and this book doesn’t idealize them in the way that kid novels can.

The book felt a bit long and there seemed to be a bit too much time talking about some of the events toward the end (could have used a bit of streamlining perhaps), but otherwise I truly loved this book. It doesn’t patronize and it really provide great representation to under represented groups. It made me smile.

I also wanted to appreciate how the author handled a sort of false choice that one of the MCs was given the way it was set up, there was only one logical choice to be made based on the info provided and I liked how the author mentioned that as well as the emotional weight of that choice.

All in all, I liked this book and would like more like it. More lgbtq rep and more casual STEM rep. As an adult, I appreciate that books like these are being made for kids,

[lyraand]

"an autistic seventh grader, with a love of all things space, finds herself paired on an engineering project with her biggest crush, and both girls confront their messy family dynamics, feelings for one another, and high expectations"

[Rory · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75. Thanks to NetGalley and Peachtree, I had an e-arc of this book. And honestly it’s just cute, and wholesome. I related to Maggie too sometimes. Anyway a quick, easy and cute reading

[Liv CG · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge sucker for multiple POV novels. The thing with middle grade readers is that sometimes the more perspectives, the heavier the cognitive load - the more likely students are to abandon the book. What I really appreciate about THE PROBLEM WITH GRAVITY is that Mohrweis makes the shifts seem natural and easy to follow. The plot flows well back and forth between the two main characters. Tatum the baton twirler has a solid friend group and does really well in school, but can never seem to measure up to her genius twin brother with her accomplishment-driven parents. Maggie the space geek is quieter, with a loyal best friend who gets her, since they both have autism (and Maggie has ADHD too). Maggie's had a crush on Tatum forever, so when they get paired up for a school project, she worries Tatum will be driven away by her forgetfulness, disorganisation, or chaotic household.

In general, I felt like Tatum's character took longer to become more nuanced, while Maggie felt more real from the start. My one critique is that it's hard to keep all of Tatum's friends straight (I just gave up), even though they each have a "thing" - one has cerebral palsy, one's nonbinary, etc etc. I think Mohrweis does a great job showing what autism looks and feels like for a tween, the angst of impending divorce/separation in a family, and how a first crush feels too (without being a coming out story - it was nice that there was no fear of stigma for expressing queer identities).

Great for fans of RICK, CLOSER TO NOWHERE, and INVISIBLE. Publishes Sep 26/23!
Thank you to NetGalley and Peachtree for an advance digital copy of the book to read for an honest review!

[Gabby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Themes:
Baton Twirling
NASA / Space
Sapphic
LGBTQ+ MC
Autistic / ADHD MC
School
Friendship

Middle school students Maggie and Tatum are partnered up for a school task - Project Responsibility! Maggie, a space-loving autistic seventh grader also definitely has a crush on Tatum the fun and gorgeous baton twirler. Together they work on their engineering project in hopes of getting a real-life astronaut to visit their school! The girls work together not just on their project but also in supporting each other through difficult aspects in their lives.

This was an incredible story. I loved learning about our main characters, their interests and their lives. The neurodivergent and LGBTQIA+ rep was fantastic and it makes me happy that middle-grade-age students will be able to feel represented and excited by this upcoming novel. You can tell the author was super passionate about each subject included in this book and it flowed through the story well.

I’m excited to read more from this author and be able to recommend this book to friends.

Thank you to the publisher via NetGalley for providing me an e-copy of this book to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[The Autistic Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Problem with Gravity is a middle grade novel that follows Maggie and Tatum as they work on a project for a NASA competition. Tatum wants to use this project to make her parents proud and show them that she can be just as smart as her genius level teen brother….maybe then they will also consider coming to her baton twirling events. Maggie is obsessed with all things space, and if she and Tatum win this competition she would get to meet an astronaut! Trouble is, her parents fight all the time, her ADHD and autism sometimes interfere with the project, and, oh yeah, she’s had a huge crush on Tatum for ages!

Michelle Mohrweis did such a great job navigating the struggles of various family dynamics while also showing wonderful use of disability and LGBTQ+ representation in middle school. It all felt very natural and integrated into the story, and I am looking forward to reading more from them!

This book was so fun! Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree for a digital copy of this book..

[Faith Huff · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book. Science, autistic representation, a middle-grades friendly sapphic love story, healthy friendships, and general fun. At first, I was worried that there were too many things trying to be handled in one book, but they weave together beautifully.

The two main characters who are telling the story from their perspectives back and forth are written clearly and are both strong, female protagonists. Maggie is autistic, loves all things space, and has a crush on Tatum. Tatum loves baton and is trying to wiggle her way out from under the shadow of her genius twin brother. When they are paired together for a school-wide project, Maggie sees a way to impress her crush and Tatum thinks it could be the perfect way to show her parents she's just as capable as her brother. Together, they find more than they bargained for in all the best ways.

This story is the perfect coming of age story for middle schoolers and upper elementary students. I loved how friendships are so incredibly healthy. They are all great examples of how to treat other people. Maggie and Tatum both have diverse friend groups with various needs, and they talk about and handle each other so gently. It was great to see and comforting to read. I already have plans to use this text for book clubs in my middle school and I can't wait to discuss these friendship dynamics. The romance between Maggie and Tatum is so sweet. I enjoyed how there was no discussion at all that being into each other would be anything other than accepted. Another safe space created in this book. This book is a warm, cozy hug.

[Jamie Coyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t know what it is about middle grade books that make them so incredible, but if you ever need an example of it this is your book!

I was truly shocked by how much I loved this story! Not only did it cover some incredibly tough topics, but it had such lovable and relatable characters. This cast of characters is neurodiverse, queer, and diverse it just about every way imaginable without anything feeling token!

This book follows two girls, Maggie and Tatum as they form a friendship that quickly spouts into feelings while they work on an engineering project for NASA. The story also tackles dysfunctional families and the trauma they can cause, celebrates neurodiversity, showcases girls in STEM, and breaks down stereotypes of the public school experience!

I cannot recommend this book enough. I would have loved to read something like this when I was younger!

[Jeffrey Hopper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tatum and Maggie are middle school students that are given the opportunity to work together for a school wide communitybia service opportunity. As it begins Maggie has a crush on Tatum and is weary to heang out with her as she is afriad that she won't like her as well as normal teenage nervousness.

If I were to use this as a teacher, I would use this book as a way to include a story about LGBT+ community into the room. The book is a very easy read, but it still provides the story as more of a romance, and adds little emphasis to the stuggles of a lesbian romance. I think taking less focus on the LGBT aspect of it gives it more strength to students as it normalizes it. Not only this, but it could give hope to students that are struggling in their homes as a large focus of the story is about seeking attention and the prospects of divorces in family.

[Dani Terk · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing I love most about Michelle's books is that they trust their readers. They trust that children can handle the tough situations their characters experience (and recognize that many readers may share some of those experiences). But even more wonderful is that Michelle trusts their young readers to be the kind of open, loving, compassionate, and empathetic souls that can truly make the world a better place. The characters are beautifully diverse and the love and acceptance amongst them is beyond heartwarming. We should all aspire to be like them.

I am a huge fan of THE TROUBLE WITH ROBOTS so the fact that this was a companion novel, with subtle cameos by Evelyn and Allie, was super cool!

[callistanagirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a sweet sapphic MG!

I really enjoyed being back at the school and getting to see the characters from The Trouble With Robots again, while also meeting lots of new characters. I really really liked both Tatum and Maggie, and I loved how supportive they were of each other, and how supportive all of their friends were as well. Nothing makes me happier than seeing truly supportive friends! I really recommend this book.

Rep: Sapphic autistic ADHD MC, sapphic MC, autistic SC, nonbinary SC, SC with cerebal palsy

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Sequel to The Trouble with Robots. Good represenation of LGBTQ+ and autistic issues, with lots and lots of drama, some good STEM coverage, and baton twirling! Haven't seen batons since DiCamillo's Raymie Nightingale!

[Grey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC, all opinions are my own.

This book is everything you want in a book. It was a good mix of stem related fun which balanced out well with the harder scenes.

I really enjoyed it.

[Kristiana Y. Sfirlea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this charming book! The characters were so sweet, and I felt for each of their unique situations. I loved Maggie and Shawn's autistic rep, and the STEM elements in the book were really cool.

I will definitely keep reading books by this author!

[Lisa Hoppe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was sweet. I’m sure it could be relatable to a lot of kids. I appreciate how it dealt with issues without beating you over the head with them, which isn’t always the case in middle grade.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely a very cute book. Not the most amazing ever or anything, but very enjoyable and there should certainly be more like it!

[ABG · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best middle school fiction books I’ve read (I say, as someone who absolutely loves the genre and reads books from it often), and one that incorporates diversity in a way that is truly meaningful and realistic while simultaneously making its characters more than their identities - making them fleshed-out characters with their own hopes and dreams, conflicts and lives. I wish I could’ve read this book in Middle School, but I am so glad that it will reach others like me.

The characters act like children! This seems obvious, but many, many YA/MG authors do not quite know how to portray young people in a way that is realistic. This book was lovely, and did not once make me feel like its characters were not the age they were, while still being a fun read that wasn’t only accessible to kids.

I loved that the characters’ differences were not the source of conflict in this story. Don’t get me wrong- I love stories in which the characters must learn to accept their queerness or neurodivergence and live in a world that is often not kind to them, but this story was not focused on that. The characters’ neurodivergence and queerness did play a big part, but both main characters had little to no internal conflict over their identities. Which made me so happy! They’re kids, it’s the fault of the world that so many kids who are different hate themselves for it. But these two kids escaped the harshest bits of the world in that regard, and that filled me with hope.

I also loved that their WAS conflict. Our two mains don’t get along all that well at first, and have to find out how to work together. They also both have a difficult relationship with their parents, and I think this was well-written, empathetic, and resonated with many of my own experiences. The parental stuff- I found some of it a bit too close to home and so felt a lot of emotions, so don’t pick this up if you’re looking for a completely lighthearted story. It is not heavy in the sense of parents who are extremely terrible people, but heavy in the sense that I think it will resonate with many people and you will feel so much for these characters that it will you emotional, too. Which is a wonderful thing! Just know that before you go in, so that you don’t expect just sunshine and rainbows (though, of course, there’s a lot of that too and it’s great!)

The plot did not drag at all! I love contemporaries, but sometimes, for me, they become a bit more boring than plot-heavy novels like high fantasy. But this book is paced so well and its characters’ voices so distinct that I literally could not put it down. I finished it in two sittings, and that’s only because I had to leave before I could devour it in one go.

Also… if you are queer, or neurodivergent, or different in any way that our society condemns, I especially implore you to pick up this book. Don’t let the age group deter you, it was a truly magical read for me. There is something that warmed my entire soul in this book - something about seeing queer kids talk about their crushes from the Dragon Prince, a neurodivergent kid who wears stim toys and happily uses them and is not shamed for doing so, a nonbinary kid who asks out a boy and holds hands with him, the list goes on. This book almost made cry. It is written- just, so so well. Think of the childhood you wished you could’ve had as a kid, the mundane experiences that came so easy to straight and neurotypical people but were denied to you, for various reasons. This book acknowledges that, and holds your hand, and asks: do you want to see kids like you having the childhood you never had, where they and those around them love their differences?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC, all opinions are my own.