Closer to Nowhere by Ellen Hopkins

Title: Closer to Nowhere
Author: Ellen Hopkins
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons (2020)
ISBN13:  978-0593108611
Genre: Realistic Fiction, Novel in Verse, Middle Grade
Topics/Themes: Dealing with mental illness, trouble at home, familial abuse
Diversity Tags: Depression, anxiety, abuse
Recommended Age Level: 10-15
Awards / Recognitions: 

• NCTE Notable Novel in Verse (2021)

Personal Rating: 5 / 5
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Summary: Hannah likes to believe she has a perfect life. Well, she USED to have a perfect life, that is, until her cousin Cal came to live with her and her parents. Until then, Hannah was an only child, loved by both of her parents, a rising star on the gymnastics team, and popular at school. While she tries to be understanding of Cal since his mom died and his dad is now in jail, she can’t help but sometimes wish he never moved in, especially since Cal is constantly pranking her, getting into trouble, and taking the valuable attention of her parents away from her. To top it all off, since he came to live with them, her parents have been fighting more and more.
 
Cal, on the other hand, is just trying to fit in and do his best to not let his past control his life. He misses his mom like crazy all the time, and his dad…. well, let’s just say he’s glad he doesn’t have to live with him anymore. Cal copes by inventing wild and creative stories, but no one else seems to appreciate them, or his unique sense of humor. He doesn’t always mean to piss off Hannah, but he can’t seem to do anything right around his adoptive family either. He can tell he is only making things worse, and while he desperately wants to belong and feel loved, he is afraid he is only going to mess up this family as well. Cal and Hannah have to come to terms with what it means to be family if they want to have any hope in saving the one they have.

Professional Reviews:
“Hopkins creates realistic portrayals of two kids trying to do their best even when it’s not easy.” —Publishers Weekly 2020
 
“Hopkins’ use of free verse provides a canvas for sure-handed, brush-stroke development of the backstory and plot and emotional investment and identification with the characters. . . Compassionate and compelling.” —Kirkus Reviews 2020

Personal Insights: This is the very first book I have read that is in verse. I even had to look up online how to read one. After skimming the first couple of pages, it felt very awkward to try and read the non-rhyming poetry in a traditional rhyming cadence with pauses and emphasis, and I was actually considering putting it down and moving on to a different book. Boy, am I glad I took a little extra time to research how to read them and appreciate them! This story was phenomenal… so incredibly moving and touching as it addressed some REALLY serious subjects such as abuse, parental death, and imprisonment.
 
Hopkin’s earlier YA novel, Crank, both highly-awarded and one of the most banned books in recent years, is a gritty story based on Hopkin’s daughter’s vivid struggle with meth. Incredibly talented at taking hard real-life topics to the page, Closer to Nowhere tackles Hopkin’s experiences of adopting and raising that daughter’s son. I find myself appreciating these books much more for the adept way in which Hopkins translates her personal, adult hardships into books for younger audiences.

Readalikes: (Summaries from GoodReads)
Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff (2015) - Everyone says that middle school is awful, but Trent knows nothing could be worse than the year he had in fifth grade, when a freak accident on Cedar Lake left one kid dead, and Trent with a brain full of terrible thoughts he can't get rid of. Trent’s pretty positive the entire disaster was his fault, so for him middle school feels like a fresh start, a chance to prove to everyone that he's not the horrible screw-up they seem to think he is. 
If only Trent could make that fresh start happen.
It isn’t until Trent gets caught up in the whirlwind that is Fallon Little—the girl with the mysterious scar across her face—that things begin to change. Because fresh starts aren’t always easy. Even in baseball, when a fly ball gets lost in the sun, you have to remember to shift your position to find it.
 
All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook by Leslie Connor (2016) - Eleven-year-old Perry was born and raised by his mom at the Blue River Co-ed Correctional Facility in tiny Surprise, Nebraska. His mom is a resident on Cell Block C, and so far Warden Daugherty has made it possible for them to be together. That is, until a new district attorney discovers the truth—and Perry is removed from the facility and forced into a foster home.
When Perry moves to the “outside” world, he feels trapped. Desperate to be reunited with his mom, Perry goes on a quest for answers about her past crime. As he gets closer to the truth, he will discover that love makes people resilient no matter where they come from . . . but can he find a way to tell everyone what home truly means?
 
Speechless by Adam P. Schmitt (2018) - As if being stuffed into last year's dress pants at his cousin's wake weren't uncomfortable enough, thirteen-year-old Jimmy has just learned from his mother that he has to say a few words at the funeral the next day. Why him? What could he possibly say about his cousin, who ruined everything they did? He can't recall one birthday party, family gathering, or school event with Patrick that didn't result in injury or destruction. As Jimmy attempts to navigate the odd social norms of the wake, he draws on humor, heartfelt concern, and a good deal of angst while racking his brain and his memory for a decent and meaningful memory to share. But it's not until faced with a microphone that the realization finally hits him: it's not the words that are spoken that matter the most, but those that are truly heard.