2019 novel by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
Hazel's Theory of Evolution is a young adult novel by Lisa Jenn Bigelow. In 2019 HarperCollins published the book, which received the Lambda Literary Award in 2020.
The novel tells the story of a middle school girl who struggles with adapting to many changes in her life, including her mother's pregnancy after many miscarriages and making new friends after switching schools.[1] Bigelow tackles issues of change, identity, and family within the framework of the novel.[2]
Plot
The novel tells the story of Hazel Brownlee-Wellington, a thirteen-year-old girl who has just entered the eighth grade in a new school in Michigan.[2] In the novel, she is well-versed in information about animals and she lived on a goat farm.[2] Becca, Hazel's best friend, has distanced herself after she became a cheerleader, and Hazel has found it difficult to make new friends.[1] After a while of being at a new school, she starts to hang out with Carina, a transgender girl, and Yosh, a wheelchair bound boy who is recognizable for his green mohawk.[1] She later learns that one of her mothers is pregnant, but she is not hopeful because of two previous miscarriages.[1] She hopes that a book called On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin can help her make sense of her life, but she still struggles with many of her problems.[2]
Reception
Kirkus Reviews praised the diversity present in the book's cast. They also said that "[h]er first-person narration is insightful" and the main character is "highly likable."[2] Publishers Weekly also praised the varied cast in Bigelow's book, as well as her "relatable first-person narrative", which the author uses to address universal conflicts.[3]
Writing for the School Library Journal, Lisa Gieskes recommended the book, saying that "readers will find [Hazel's] sensitive, reflective nature heartening."[4] Carolyn Phelan, for Booklist, called it "[a] heartfelt novel of family, friends, and change." Phelan also noted the author's skill at building up towards the climax, as well as her portrayal of empathetic characters.[1]
Hazel's Theory of Evolution won the 2020 Lambda Literary Award in the "Children's/Middle Grade" category.[5]
References
