The Words We Keep
Realistic Fiction
The words we keep
By Erin Stewart
Book summary from publisher:
It's been three months since The Night on the Bathroom Floor--when Lily found her older sister Alice hurting herself. Ever since then, Lily has been desperately trying to keep things together, for herself and for her family. But now Alice is coming home from her treatment program and it is becoming harder for Lily to ignore all of the feelings she's been trying to outrun.
Enter Micah, a new student at school with a past of his own. He was in treatment with Alice and seems determined to get Lily to process not only Alice's experience, but her own. Because Lily has secrets, too. Compulsions she can't seem to let go of and thoughts she can't drown out.
When Lily and Micah embark on an art project for school involving finding poetry in unexpected places, she realizes that it's the words she's been swallowing that desperately want to break through.
Format: 400 pages, Hardcover
Published: March 15, 2022 by Delacorte Press
ISBN: 9781984848864 (ISBN10: 1984848860)
My Thoughts:
This novel compassionately and realistically explores topics people often shy away from examining and discussing. Erin Stewart deftly handles the topics of teenage emotions, treatment for mental health issues, suicide, grief, bullying, and the power of speaking up whether as a lone voice or part of a collective. The themes make this an appropriate choice for high school students.
The Words We Keep could be used for social-emotional learning, encouraging discussions about the themes and real-world experiences, helping teens feel less alone, and inspiring open dialogue and expression about the lives and challenges faced by teenagers. The feature plot about poetry and collective expression could be used as a springboard for a similar project or activity to empower students to express the thoughts and words they keep locked up.