Lucy in Between by Callender, Sarah

Things People Ought to Know About Me: After my brother died, I didn't cry.

Thirteen-year-old Lucy Bains is smarter than your average seventh grader, but there is a lot she doesn't understand: how her brother Henry, a seventeen-year-old violin virtuoso, can possibly be depressed when he's one of classical music's brightest rising stars; why her mother is far more interested in Henry's music career than in Lucy's talents as an aspiring mime artist; and why her archeologist father--who left them years ago and now lives in Peru--suddenly wants to come for a visit. And most baffling of all, when did her best friend Charles become someone she might like to kiss?

After Henry dies by suicide, Lucy and her mother--grief-stricken, desperate, and seeking any solace or distraction Lucy's father can provide--escape to Peru. But when a local bookstore owner (and unapologetic poetry pusher), who, like Lucy, is no stranger to grief, proves more present than either of her parents, Lucy must confront some hard truths about love and family, guilt and grief.

With searing prose and a poetic voice, debut author Sarah Callender tackles one of the most difficult losses a family can experience in an unforgettable young adult novel.

Author: Sarah Callender
Publisher: Holiday House
Published: 08/18/2026
Pages: 304
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.05lbs
Size: 8.60h x 5.80w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9780823455515
Age Range: 12-14

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 05/25/2026
School Library Journal 06/01/2026 pg. 91
Kirkus Reviews 06/15/2026
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 07/01/2026
Booklist 08/01/2026

About the Author
Sarah Callendar is a writer, blogger, mental health advocate, and middle school English teacher. She lives in Seattle with her family.