The Thing I'm Most Afraid Of

(Hardback)

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A new middle-grade tale from critically acclaimed, award-winning author Kristin Levine about facing your fears, set in Vienna during the Bosnian genocide. Most twelve-year-olds would be excited to fly to Austria to see their dad for the summer but then Becca is not most twelve-year-olds. Suffering from severe anxiety, she fears that the metal detectors at the airport will give her cancer and the long international flight will leave her with blood clots. Luckily, she's packed her Doomsday Journal, the one thing that always seems to help. By writing down her fears and what to do if the worst happens, Becca can get by without (many) panic attacks. Routines and plans help Becca cope but living in a new country is full of the unexpected--including Becca's companions for the summer. Like Felix, the short and bookish son of Becca's dad's new girlfriend. Or Sara, the nineteen-year-old Bosnian refugee tasked with watching the two of them for the summer. As Becca explores Vienna and becomes close to her new friends, she soon learns she is not alone in her fears. What matters most is what you do when faced with them.

Reviews

Praise for The Thing I'm Most Afraid Of:

An engaging historical novel with an unusual, vividly realized setting. . .A moving resolution. Booklist

In this thoughtful novel populated with well-developed characters, Levine slowly and realistically reveals Beccas growth. . . An important story about anxiety, change, and courage. Kirkus Reviews

Becca is an engaging and sympathetic narrator, and Levine (The Jigsaw Jungle) writes her experience of anxiety with nuance and sensitivity. The past is never forgotten in Vienna, and Levine threads the citys history into this novel . . . while Saras recollections of the Bosnian War are heartrendingly effective. Publishers Weekly

In this historical novel set in 1993, fears and anxieties are taking over 12-year-old Becca Greenburgs life. . . As Becca . . . learn[s] that having and being a support for others builds inner strength . . .her anxieties do not vanish, but she learns how to live in spite of them. VERDICT: A slice of history that echoes another countrys struggle with anti-immigrant sentiment. School Library Journal

Author Bio

Kristin Levine lives in Alexandria, Virginia, with her daughters, two bunnies, and one cat. A lifelong learner, Kristin studied German at Swarthmore College, Film and Video at American University, and is currently pursuing a degree in Data Science at George Washington University. She loves visiting schools and talking with young people about the writing process. Her fifth novel, The Thing I'm Most Afraid Of, was inspired by a gap year she spent in Vienna, Austria, working as an au pair.