Hey there!
I’ve got a compiled list of places Sometimes the Girl has shown up of late. For subscribers, some of this may be a repeat. And those of you who are not subscribers, join us! It’s free and easy! Better yet, I’ll be doing some deep dives into the whys and whats of Sometimes the Girl (did you know that almost every location in the book is a real place in very real Amherst, Massachusetts?), as well writing in general and hot gossip from Year Two of the Great Meadow Experiment. Who’s returning, who’s new, will Baby Dog ever get sick of standing in the middle and eating grass? Anyway, join us—I promise it will be…something.
Reviews? Allow me to present them!
Kirkus (starred review): “Mason-Black’s prose sparkles with poetic beauty as Holi engages in introspective musings about collective mourning and how individual healing is possible only in community… Beautifully written and powerfully uplifting.”
Booklist: “Mason-Black’s writing, expressed through Holi’s first-person narration, is original and striking in its depth, putting a thoughtful spotlight on Holi and the people around her. An appealing and engrossing work.”
Foreword Reviews (starred review): “Sometimes the Girl is a touching coming-of-age novel about healing and connection. Holi’s story models radical empathy, and its conclusion acknowledges that language is the only tool that may bridge the gap between people who seek to understand each other.”
And lists?
May 2025 Reads for the Rest of Us—Ms. Magazine
“Little does Holi know how much her life will change with Elsie in this powerful, lyrical story that honors creativity, queerness, healing and intergenerational relationships.”
20 Best May Books for Young Readers—Kirkus
Hot of the Press, May 2025—The Children’s Book Council
Shall we round it out with a guest post at the Teen Librarian Toolbox?
The Big Why: The Complications of Creativity and Sometimes the Girl
Coming soon: some exciting news! Stay tuned! In the meantime, if you need a copy, try Bookshop.org , Lerner Books , and, of course, your favorite local bookstore.
Stopping by to add a few new things here. First, an interview with me on the Lerner Blog. And second, another interview with me, this time at Forward Reviews. And third? Yet another interview, this time at Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb! I do love interviews (that’s actually true! they’re fun!)!
Be well, be brave, be open to wonder, dear ones!