Dear Rachel Maddow

April 16, 2018
Brynn Harper, 17, a former honors student, has been relegated to the “blue room,” the place where the “applied” or academically challenged juniors go. Brynn is whip smart, but dyslexia and a difficult home life make it hard for her to excel at school. As part of an assignment to write to a “celebrity hero,” Brynn reaches out to MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. Brynn sees Maddow as a fighter for truth and fairness, and she begins to write drafts of diarylike emails to her, without the intention of sending them. Things get complicated for Brynn as she finds herself challenging injustice during a school election while juggling a new romance, an ex-girlfriend who may be using her, and an increasingly dangerous home situation. In her debut novel, Kisner uses the epistolary format to portray the life of a girl who has very little parental support and is seemingly falling through the cracks at school. By writing in a first-person confessional style, Kisner allows her character to express herself with blatant honesty. She also shares other characters’ correspondence, offering additional insight into Brynn’s personality. Revealing Brynn to be an individual with realistic insecurities, biases, and complexities, Kisner playfully explores the very human manner in which a stranger like Maddow might come to feel like a friend and confidant. Ages 13–up. Agent: Catherine Drayton, InkWell Management.

May 15, 2018
Grades 9-12 Brynn Haper is not having a good year. Her girlfriend broke up with her, her grades are plummeting, and she stills feels the loss of her older brother every day. Which is why she needs someone to talk to; someone she respects and admires. Someone like Rachel Maddow. What starts as a class assignment turns into a collection of journal entries poured out to the MSNBC host, who Brynn feels sure would understand her decision to jump into high-school politics and her indecision when it comes to her ex. This relatable debut joins the canon of epistolary YA novels as a charming yet, at times, heartbreaking addition. Kisner perfectly captures the dueling emotions of hope and hopelessness as Brynn attempts to carve out a place in an often-hostile world, weaving wry humor into some gutting looks at addiction, loss, and abandonment. Dear Rachel Maddow is the perfect book for anyone who has ever felt truly understood by a comforting, friendly face smiling at them from the TV screen.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2019
In this epistolary novel, Brynn writes a series of unsent letters to her idol, political journalist Rachel Maddow. Meanwhile, Brynn finds herself pitted against the Honors posse (which includes her ex-girlfriend) in a heated student council election. Sharp, sensitively drawn Brynn is supported by strong secondary characters in this original debut that touches on friendship, love, family dynamics, and grief, along with everyday high-school dramas.

(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from June 1, 2018

Gr 8 Up-Brynn Harper had a cute girlfriend and a spot on the school newspaper, both of which she loved, but she began having troubles concentrating on either after her brother died. When her teacher tells her to start writing to her hero, she chooses her ex-girlfriend's instead; Brynn isn't the type of girl to have heroes. But slowly, it morphs into something genuine and she continues to write-and not send-missives about her life to political commentator Rachel Maddow. What unfolds is a heartbreaking but ultimately hopeful tale of a struggling student who sees an injustice and steps in. She does so unwillingly, but still, she does. Brynn is realistically depicted and even though this novel is epistolary, the supporting characters are well fleshed out, too. Lacey, Brynn's tutor and best friend who is a wheelchair user, is never tokenized as a disabled sidekick and has her own arc and love interest. There are some depictions of abuse and the aftereffects of a loved one overdosing, so some may find it a hard read. It is an underdog story, not necessarily of triumph, but of perseverance against terrible odds. VERDICT A necessary purchase wherever there are teens.-Kathryn Kania, Pelham Public Library, Pelham NH

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.