So, while opposites attract, they also often fly apart, as in the case of Min and Ed, who come from very different social groups at their high school. Min is eclectic, and passionate about obscure cinema and coffee. Ed is main stream, the co-captain of the football team, and on the top of the school social rung. It’s these differences, and their strong physical attraction, that pull them together. However, by the time the book begins, Ed and Min have already broken up, and she’s writing a long letter to Ed explaining why. This letter is to be included with a box of the artifacts from their time together, and she is planning to dump all of this at his door. Each chapter is preceded by a primitive, emotive painting by Maira Kalman of each object, and the following chapter refers to the item in some way, sometimes briefly, sometimes as the center of the story. The bulk of this original novel is the story of their relationship. Most readers will see from the beginning why it was never going to last, but also might find themselves pulling for this couple. The emotion is believable, and the final blow to the relationship surprised me. A couple of interesting trivia—Daniel Handler is also the author of the Lemony Snicket series, and there is a website related to this book where people can blog about their breakups. Alcohol use by minors and sex is explored, though in the end, not viewed positively. Michael Printz Award Finalist 2012. For grades 9 and up.
