"This book has heart, and its emotions will touch the hearts of young readers. The author does a masterful job of blending Aviva's family and friend issues, and young readers will be shown the world of autism from a different perspective." -- Mark Buxton, YA Book Central "[B]ittersweet . At her mother's encouragement, Aviva writes down her account of the last year, alternating between the past and present. She recalls fond memories before snapping back to the reality of life without Maddy. The effect is haunting, adding intrigue about what really happened to Maddy . The tone is somber, though Aviva's blunt assessments and witty retorts infuse humor into her heartache, as when she declares that a sixteenth-century poet simply "had no luck with boys." .
In the tender novel Last Year with Maddy , best friends grow apart and find their way home again." -- Foreword Reviews "Original, exceptional, and a fun read from start to finish. Last Year With Maddy draws upon author Anna Rosner's own personal experience with loss and recovery [which] gives the story an impressively exceptional storytelling quality.unreservedly recommended for middle school and community library Contemporary Fiction collections for young readers ages 9-12." -- Midwest Book Review "Middle-schoolers interested in reading about mental health struggles, difficulties in friendships, and life changes will be interested in this book." -- Youth Services Book Review "It's a story about Aviva and her relationship with herself and her world. It's a story about accepting others the way they are . but mostly, it's a story about accepting ourselves the way we are.
Beautifully told with nuance and emotional depth that left me searching for tissue while I pondered 'the end'." -- Gabriel Goldstone: sharing stories " Last Year With Maddy is a raw, honest and heartfelt book about the power of friendship and forgiveness. Aviva's voice is pitch-perfect as she comes to terms with what happened in the last year between her and her best friend, Maddy. Both girls navigate difficult moments in their lives, and neither are perfect in how they try to support one another. But it's in their imperfections that the reader recognizes their humanity, and their love for each other. This book is full of heart and hope." -- Sidura Ludwig, award-winning author of Swan: The Girl Who Grew "Rosner has produced a layered and nuanced narrative in Last Year with Maddy with the musicality of an orchestral symphony. Readers will experience piercing high notes and resonant lows, not just from Aviva's story but from each character as they perform in sometimes sad, angry, joyful, but always hopeful concert.
" -- Paul Coccia, award-winning author of Recommended Reading "At the heart of Last Year with Maddy are words--words of humour, of anger, of discovery, of connection. A complex and moving story about friendship and sisterly love." -- Adam Sol, poet and author of How a Poem Moves: A Field Guide for Readers of Poetry.