if i stay
Bibliography
Forman, G. (2009). if i stay. Penguin Random House Company.
ISBN: 9780142415436
Plot Summary
Mia is 17 years old, and her life turns upside down all because of one car ride. Before the car ride, Mia was extremely talented at playing the cello. She wants to pursue her dream and go to Juilliard and leave her family and boyfriend behind. Then, Mia and her family get into a car accident, which ends up killing everyone and putting her in critical condition. The rest of the story, we follow Mia during her out-of-body experience. She isn’t dead, but she is like a ghost wandering around trying to piece her life together. Mia has a harder decision to make: will she stay? Or will she choose to join her family on the other side?
Critical Analysis
if i stay is classified as a young adult book because it follows Mia, a 17-year-old high school senior. The story is told through non-linear flashbacks while she is having an out-of-body, ghost experience. This allows the reader to jump into her thought process of her memories and grief. The reader is able to see how she went from being a typical teenager figuring out who she was and how she fit in, to an emptiness of what her future would be.
In this story, I could see how it resonates with young adults because Mia is experiencing first love, struggling with identity, and experiencing a devastating loss. The language that is used to tell the story was simple, direct, and emotional, and it made it an easy read. It was not a hard read because of that, and that made it a quick read. Even with it being a quick read, the characters were given a depth that showed their importance. We watch Mia and her growth in deciding if she should stay. Adam represents love and a future, and family, which we watch through memories and the support of being there in the hospital.
There were a few things that made the book show the era in which it was written. It talks about iPods, which is a minor thing, but music was not on phones like today. Then it does use the r-word. The word retarded during that time was not seen as it should have been. We know now this is not used lightly in conversations, but it was used only once in this book. It was not something that most people would think about, but it caught me off guard because I had not heard that word since high school. I truly enjoyed this book. I cried in parts, and after I finished it, I sat quietly and just thought about Mia. It’s been a couple of days since I finished this book, and I am still thinking about her. I did look up the author and found that there is a second book. I have added it to my to-read list.
I would recommend this book to anyone. Mrs. Forman uses easy structure and each of the characters' depth to explore how young adults navigate grief and identity in a way that keeps the reader reading.
Review Excerpts
Beautifully written."—Entertainment Weekly
"A beautiful novel."—Los Angeles Times
"A do-not-miss story of love, friendship, family, loss, control, and coping."—Justine Magazine
"The brilliance of this book is the simplicity."—The Wall Street Journal
Awards
Soaring Eagle Book Award (Nominee – 2014)
Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee – High School – 2012)
Kentucky Bluegrass Award (Nominee – Grades 9-12 – 2011)
Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Nominee – 2012)
Mountain Laurel Book Award (Nominee – Young Adult – 2011)
Gateway Readers Award (Winner – 3rd Place – 2012)
Great Lakes Great Books Award (Winner – 9th, 10th, 11th, & 12th Grade – 2011)
Oregon Reader's Choice Award (Nominee – High School (Senior) Division – 2012)
South Dakota Teen Choice Book Awards (Nominee – High School List – 2011)
Lincoln Award: Illinois Teen Readers' Choice Award (Nominee – 2012)
Florida Teens Read Award (Nominee – 2011)
Blue Hen Book Award (Winner – Teen Readers – 2011)
Grand Canyon Reader Award (Recommended – Teen (non-voting) – 2012)
California Young Reader Medal (Nominee – Young Adult, Grades 9-12 – 2014)
Milwaukee County Teen Book Award (Honor Book – 2010)
Virginia Readers' Choice (Nominee – High School – 2011)
Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing (Nominee – 2010)
Isinglass Teen Read Award (Nominee – 2011)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee – High School – 2011)
Volunteer State Book Award (Nominee – Young Adult – 2012)
Evergreen Teen Book Award (Nominee – 2012)
Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers (Honor Book – 2011)
South Carolina Book Awards (Nominee – Young Adult Book Award – 2011)
NAIBA Book of the Year Awards (Children's Literature – 2009)
Distinctions
Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year
New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age
Notable Lists
Best Fiction for Young Adults (Selection – 2010)
ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults (Book to Movie: Ripped From the Pages – 2015)
Read Aloud Indiana Book Award (High School – 2012)
Tayshas High School Reading List (Selection – 2010)
The Best Children's Books of the Year (Fourteen and Older – 2010)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection – 2010)
Capitol Choices Noteworthy Book for Children and Teens (2010)
Books From All 50 States (and Washington, D.C.!) (Oregon)
Chicago Public Library Best of the Best: Teens (Fiction – 2009)
Young Adult Favorites Award (2011)
Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults (Selection – 2010)
OYAN Book Rave (2010)
At the end of the extended edition version, there are great discussion questions for teachers to discuss.
Have students look up a tragedy and write a version of the story like this book.
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