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    The Thing About Jellyfish
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    The Thing About Jellyfish
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    The Thing About Jellyfish
    Audiobook5 hours

    The Thing About Jellyfish

    Written by Ali Benjamin

    Narrated by Sarah Franco

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    This stunning debut novel about grief and wonder was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured widespread critical acclaim, including selection as a 2015 National Book Award finalist!

    After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting--things don't just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door.

    Oddlot Entertainment has acquired the screen rights to The Thing About Jellyfish, with Gigi Pritzker set to produce with Bruna Papandrea and Reese Witherspoon.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHachette Audio
    Release dateSep 22, 2015
    ISBN9781478959823
    Unavailable
    The Thing About Jellyfish
    Author

    Ali Benjamin

    Ali Benjamin has written for the Boston Globe Magazine, Martha Stewart's Whole Living and Sesame Street. Ali is a member of the New England Science Writers. When not working, Ali wrangles children, drinks too much coffee, sometimes runs, hangs out with friendly dogs, gazes at electron microscopy images of bugs, and teaches kids about storytelling and writing. She serves scrambled eggs for dinner far too often. She is the author of The Thing About Jellyfish.

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    Reviews for The Thing About Jellyfish

    4/5

    7 ratings15 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This book not only really made me think about a lot of things & cry a little- it also scared me. Move over JAWS- the Jellies are taking over the ocean!
    • 4/5
      This realistic fiction novel is about dealing with the death of a best friend. This novel is great for all grade levels.Suzy decides that she will not longer speak. After all, most of the time, talking involves small talk and nothing is really said. Because nothing is ever said of substance, why bother to talk? Also, she is working on a theory and needs her brain more than her mouth. Her mother tells her one day that Franny died by drowning while on vacation. Suzy is devastated to realize that her friend was dead for three days and Suzy didn't know and just went on living. Suzy knows that Franny is an excellent swimmer, so it makes absolutely no sense that she died by drowning. One day while visiting a museum with her school, she wanders off to a jellyfish exhibit. She discovers a jellyfish that can kill quickly. She hypothesizes that Franny was stung by a jellyfish and died. She's determined to prove her hypothesis, so she begins her research.The novel is structured about the scientific research model. Suzy and the reader learns a lot about science, especially jellyfish. This love of science also keeps Suzy from having friends; others perceive her as weird and aren't particularly nice to her. She's basically now in a silent world alone becoming an expert on jellyfish. One boy at school treats her well--Justin. Her parents require that she see a specialist to deal with her grief, but it doesn't seem to help much. Suzy desperately tries to prove her idea even seeking help from jellyfish experts. No one, including her parents or therapist, know what she is doing. Justin knows she is fascinated with jellyfish and finds this interesting and supports her. He gives her the opportunity to rejoin the world.I really enjoyed reading this novel. I laughed several times and had tears in my eyes a couple of times. It's a lovely story where you learn a truth about life-sometimes things just happen.
    • 5/5
      This novel has so much going for it: science, dealing with grief, being different, friendship & family, alternative lifestyles, voice. Protagonist Suzy is true to the heart and spirit of kids who love to learn, are considered "weird" by their peers, and who try to solve problems by themselves instead of asking for help. Benjamin divides her novel into parts using the rules of the scientific method: purpose, hypothesis, background, variables, procedure, results, conclusion. Suzy's struggles with her grief and her friendship are elucidated within these scientific parameters, lending credence to the story.
    • 4/5
      The book is told through the eyes of Suzy, a 13 year old girl, who is navigating the challenges of 7th grade, specifically the social dynamics of middle school. Suzy has a harder time making friends as she is a little different than the rest of the girls at her grade level. She considers her childhood friend, Franny, her best friend despite the fact that Franny had been hanging out with a different group of girls. Franny drowns while on a summer family vacation. Suzy struggles to make sense of this accidental death by remaining silent and by focusing on the possibility of a jellyfish sting as the cause. She researches jellyfish and her scientific notes are included throughout the book. Overall, this is a moving tale of friendship and overcoming loss.
    • 3/5
      Suzy Swanson is really unhappy with the fact that her relationship with her BFF Franny Jackson has changed significantly, so she does something really awful to Franny on the last day of grade six in order to send her a message. She expects that what she does will shock Franny into realizing that she's been acting horrible, and Suzy expects that her action will lead to eventual reconciliation. Things do NOT go the way Suzy expects, and the friends do not mend their fences. Later, when Suzy's mom tells her that Franny has drowned, Suzy finds it impossible to accept that "things just happened". She begins searching for meaning behind the death of her friend or at least a reason as to how she died. Intertwined with her search for meaning is her science research report on jellyfish, which is quite extensive and interesting on its own. Suzy puts these two things together and figures out that if she can just prove that her best friend was stung by a deadly and highly unlikely jellyfish, things will somehow be okay. The thing I liked best about this book was the voice of Suzy who is every bit as angry and confused and hurt and devastated about the death of her friend as I imagine something in her situation would be. I also liked Justin, her supportive science partner, who is refreshingly upfront about his ADHD medication and what happens if he doesn't take it.The reason I didn't give the book a higher rating is that I'm not sure who I could recommend read this book. I'm still trying to figure out the audience for this book. I think adults would like it, but I'm not convinced that kids will. That remains to be seen.
    • 5/5
      Beautifully written story of a girl coming to terms with guilt and loss of a friend. Interesting scientific details about jelly fish.
    • 4/5
      Middle school angst and the inability to accept the loss of a friend are combined in this very well written book. Suzy is devastated when her friend drowns and because the girls long time friendship had hit the middle school growing apart divide, Suzy wants to find a reason for her friend's death. Maybe the reason is jellyfish. Heavily interwoven into the story is documented scientific facts about jellyfish. All of this knowledge is fit into the story line seamlessly. Suzy's science teacher is a caring teacher who makes an attempt to connect with those students who need more than the curriculum.An emotional trip for the reader but also a thought provoking and educational trip as well.
    • 4/5
      Suzy has largely stopped speaking after the death of her friend Fanny by drowning. She's a little awkward and doesn't always care about what the other girls care about, a fact that strains her friendship with Franny when they hit middle school. Suzy gets the idea that Fanny must have been stung by a jellyfish. A topic she obsessively researches. She has to break her silence for a science presentation. All the while going through this trauma, she as the support of her family and a new friend. An enjoyable, quirky read that uses flashbacks as a device to fill in the back story and inform Suzy's current reality.
    • 4/5
      It is easy to understand why this book is a National Book Award Finalist. The author is exceptionally good at portraying the emotions of middle school angst with all the bullying and silly rules that are necessary to be at the top of the pecking order. It is exceedingly difficult for Suzy to understand why her best friend from early childhood has suddenly decided to ditch her to hang around the in crowd. Suy's friend takes it too many steps from the norm and actually seems to deliberately hurt Suzy in cruel ways in front of others. Already socially awkward, and rungs above others in intelligence, Suzy could hang in there as long as she had one good friend, but now that is gone, leaving her sad, sad, sad. When her friend dies from drowning, Suzy has no way of knowing if eventually her friend would have returned to her.Because the trauma is so incredibly painful, Suzy uses her intellect to try to find a reason why her friend, who was an excellent swimmer, drowned. Obsessively learning about jellyfish in every minute detail, she believes that Suzy must have died as a result of a jellyfish sting. Dwelling in her own world of intense emotions, Suzy decides not to talk.Counseling doesn't help, and the bullying becomes worse when she breaks her silence and does an oral report in front of the class about jellyfish. Now the middle school brats have more ammunition to hurt and make fun as her over-the-top obsession becomes apparent.This is another book wherein teachers shine. One of her teachers allows her to stay with her during recess and lunch time, and shows snipets of videos that reinforce the good in life.4.5 stars. Read it, I think you will like it!
    • 4/5
      Half of the back cover of this book was taken up listing the various awards it has won and after reading it, I think they were well deserved. Suzanne is a bit of an outsider who is filled with regret about how a friendship with her former best friend ended. Unfortunately, the ending cannot be rewritten and she is left grieving and trying to process her regret and guilt. This book so well captures the fragility of middle school/junior high friendships, and the struggles of adapting to the new social order there.
    • 5/5
      This will be the book for young readers that I will be recommending at my store for the 2015 holiday season. Perfect for both girls and boys ages 10-12.
    • 4/5
      ‘The thing is, a person gets so few chances to really fix something, to make it right. When one of those opportunities comes along, you can’t overthink it. You’ve got to grab hold of it and cling to it with all your might, no matter how cray cray it might seem.’When Suzy’s mom sits her down to tell her that her former best-friend Franny has died in a drowning accident, the only reason she gives her is that “sometimes things just happen”. Former best-friend or not, Suzy fails to accept this simplistic verdict. The duo had been friends since they were five, but Franny found a new group of girls to hang out with when they went into Middle School leaving Suzy all by herself. So in addition to basically losing Franny a second time, Suzy is struggling to come to terms with her parents divorce as well. Deciding that her words are of little consequence, she decides one day to no longer speak. During a school field trip, she watches a jellyfish float through its watery cage, and it suddenly comes to her that she knows exactly how Franny died.“That’s what science is,” she explained. “It’s learning what others have discovered about the world, and then – when you bump up against a question that no one has ever answered before – figuring out how to get the answer you need.The Thing About Jellyfish bounces back and forth in time, slowly unfolding the story on how Franny became the former best-friend. It’s a melancholy tale and you can’t help feeling for the poor girl. She’s never stopped caring for Franny though, and once she’s gone, Suzy feels that after some time has passed she’s the only one that still seems to care about her or even consider her death to be mysterious. This quickly leads her into a scientific research adventure into jellyfish from around the world, and most especially the Irukandji jellyfish. Through Suzy’s research we learn that the sting of an Irukandji can cause muscle cramps which could essentially lead to drowning. At only a few centimeters long and almost completely transparent, Suzy believes it’s up to her to prove that Franny’s death wasn’t something that just happened.‘There’s no single right way to say goodbye to someone you love. But the most important thing is that you keep some part of them inside you.’The Thing About Jellyfish is a poignant story about coming to terms with your grief while the world around you continues like nothing has changed. The protagonist may only be twelve-years-old, however, her sentimental experience is something that will be easily understood and acknowledged by readers of all ages.
    • 5/5
      THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH is a novel full of heart and science, which is right up my alley. Suzy, reeling from and grappling with the accidental drowning of her ex-best friend, has given up talking while she obsesses over the secret life and facts of jellyfish.As she works through her grief, we find out that she and her life-long friend had drifted apart in sixth grade--her friend had gone the way of popular girls focusing on looks and boys, while Suzy was still the nerdy, science geek who viewed the world with wonder and naiveté. Their relationship had deteriorated to terrible depths when her friend died, compounding Suzy's grief and guilt.Suzy slowly emerges from her grief and reconnects with the world in a gripping, moving, funny, and courageous journey.
    • 4/5
      There are some things you can always count on—the number of minutes in an hour, the rising and setting of the sun. Other things are unpredictable, such as life itself. Young Suzy’s former best friend is the victim of a recent drowning. Franny knew how to swim, so there has to be an explanation, Suzy believes—and latches onto the venomous Irukandji jellyfish. Suzy is convinced they are the reason behind her friend’s untimely demise and is determined to find out why and how. This novel explores the grief of a young girl who just wants an explanation, something we can all relate to. Artful prose and an interesting structure—centered around the scientific method—allow readers to experience Suzy’s journey to self-forgiveness and resilience.
    • 2/5
      Sad. Heartbreakingly sad. Suzy’s 13-year-old best friend Franny drowns (coincidently their friendship began at swimming lessons when they were 5-years-old). It’s bad enough to lose your best friend but worse when the two of you had had a falling out and were no longer speaking. And if that’s not bad enough Franny was Suzy’s only friend, she is something of a misfit and now finds herself completely alone. To insure the complete depression of the reader, the author saw fit to populate the fictional middle school almost exclusively with sociopathic mean girls. Not surprisingly, Suzy stops speaking – to everyone and begins living in her head where she talks to the now deceased Franny and tries to figure out how she drowned. The only thing missing from this book is a dead dog.