“One of the best books I have read this year (maybe ever).” —Colby Sharp, Nerdy Book Club

NPR Books We Love 2023 | Publishers Weekly Best of 2023 | Winner of the Governor General's Literary Awards for Young People's Literature

A heart-wrenching middle grade debut about Kemi, an aspiring scientist who loves statistics and facts, as she navigates grief and loss at a moment when life as she knows it changes forever.

Eleven-year-old Kemi Carter loves scientific facts, specifically probability. It's how she understands the world and her place in it. Kemi knows her odds of being born were 1 in 5.5 trillion and that the odds of her having the best family ever were even lower. Yet somehow, Kemi lucked out.

But everything Kemi thought she knew changes when she sees an asteroid hover in the sky, casting a purple haze over her world. Amplus-68 has an 84.7% chance of colliding with earth in four days, and with that collision, Kemi’s life as she knows it will end.

But over the course of the four days, even facts don’t feel true to Kemi anymore. The new town she moved to that was supposed to be “better for her family” isn’t very welcoming. And Amplus-68 is taking over her life, but others are still going to school and eating at their favorite diner like nothing has changed. Is Kemi the only one who feels like the world is ending?

With the days numbered, Kemi decides to put together a time capsule that will capture her family’s truth: how creative her mother is, how inquisitive her little sister can be, and how much Kemi's whole world revolves around her father. But no time capsule can change the truth behind all of it, that Kemi must face the most inevitable and hardest part of life: saying goodbye.

"My heart hurt as I raced through the last chapters of this unique book that shines a light on family, friends, grief, and love." —Lisa Yee, author of Maizy Chen's Last Chance

Sarah Everett is the author of The Probability of Everything as well as several books for teens. Charlotte’s Web was the first book that ever made her cry, and while she despises spiders, she still has an abiding love of stories that move her. When she is not reading or writing, she is dreaming about summer, gearing up for her next travel adventure, perfecting her tree pose, or yodeling with her dog. She lives in western Canada.

Sarah Everett's profile page

• Michigan Association of State Librarians List
• Texas Lone Star Reading List
• School Library Journal Best Book
• Governor General’s Literary Award
• Bank Street Children’s Best Books of the Year
• Publishers Weekly Best Book

“Kemi’s astute voice resonates with a deep love and loyalty for her family, rendering her insistence in honoring them and subsequent narrative reveals as heartrending, hopeful, and palpably felt." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“This realistically drawn, gut-wrenching novel will stick with readers long after they’ve finished reading. A powerful exploration of grief.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Thought-provoking and utterly unique, this is an impactful book that deserves a place in all middle grade classrooms and libraries.” — School Library Journal (starred review)

“One of the best books I have read this year (maybe ever).” — Colby Sharp, Nerdy Book Club

"My heart hurt as I raced through the last chapters of this unique book that shines a light on family, friends, grief and love." — Lisa Yee, author of Maizy Chen's Last Chance

“An empathetic, unflinching portrayal of childhood bereavement, this gut-punch of a story brings familiar themes from Everett’s YA works to a younger readership." — Booklist

"Sarah Everett writes with captivating grace, even as she navigates difficult topics and probabilities. This book is a love letter to big-hearted, curious-minded kids everywhere. An instant classic.” — Christine Day, award winning author of I Can Make This Promise