Sweeping Up the Heart

Amelia Albright dreams about going to Florida for spring break like everyone else in her class, but her father—a cranky and stubborn English professor—has decided Florida is too much adventure.

Now Amelia is stuck at home with him and her babysitter, the beloved Mrs. O’Brien. The week ahead promises to be boring, until Amelia meets Casey at her neighborhood art studio. Amelia has never been friends with a boy before, and the experience is both fraught and thrilling. When Casey claims to see the spirit of Amelia’s mother (who died ten years before), the pair embarks on an altogether different journey in their attempt to find her.

Using crisp, lyrical, literary writing and moments of humor and truth, award-winning author Kevin Henkes deftly captures how it feels to be almost thirteen.

With themes of family, death, grief, creativity, and loyalty, Sweeping Up the Heart is for readers of Kate DiCamillo, Rebecca Stead, Lauren Wolk, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, and Pam Muñoz Ryan.

What happens when a new friend claims he can see the ghost of the mother you never knew?

• A Coming of Age Story: Seventh-grader Amelia Albright just wanted a normal spring break. Instead, she finds a new friendship that will change how she sees her family—and herself—forever.
• Art and Creativity: The local clay studio becomes a sanctuary for Amelia, a place where she can shape her feelings into art and begin to make sense of her quiet life.
• An Unlikely Friendship: Amelia has never had a boy for a friend before. When she meets the artistic and mysterious Casey, their connection leads them on an unexpected quest.
• Grief and Healing: When Casey claims he can see the spirit of the mother Amelia lost as a toddler, they begin a search that explores the delicate lines between loss, memory, and hope.