This novel is stunning, phenomenal, and all-around fantastic. Ali Benjamin has been credited many amazing reviews for this great book. Suzy's best friend died in the ocean. This devastating fact brings Suzy to do the craziest thing: not talk. As she hardly gets by in 7th grade, she is captured by the beauty of the jellyfish. This compels her to research more about them. She starts to wonder if her friend had died by jellyfish sting. With nothing interesting in her life, she tries to venture to Australia to meet a jellyfish scientist. She has enough money, she has studied everything: flights, roads, motels, etc. But her lack of a visa fails to transport her. Once comforted by her family, she realizes things might not be so bad in her small Massachusetts town. She has great parents, brother, and friends. I love this book!
The Thing About Jellyfish
By Ali Benjamin
| Interest Level | Reading Level | Reading A-Z | ATOS | Word Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 4 - 8 | Grades 3 - 8 | Y | 5 | 46150 |
After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting-things don't just happen for no reason. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door.
Book Reviews (71)
I feel horrible that her best friend died if that ever happened to me i would runaway i would not be able to survive with out my best friend
I like this book but did not love it. Most parts were funnier then others. But this is not the authors fault that I just like it and not love it.
Suzy is quiet, although she wasn't quiet until her best friend died. People say she drowned but Suzy is positive she didn't drown because her friend was always a better swimmer than her. Suzy thinks that her friend was stung by an "invisible" jellyfish. She decides to investigate and she can almost prove that she is correct, but then she is stopped.
This is a heartwarming tale of a girl named Suzy who travels the world to prove her thought that her best friend was killed after being stung by a rare jellyfish and then drowning. I loved this book!
This was a very sad book, not for someone who doesn't like depressing books. The main character, Suzy, hasn't talked since her friend died. She is convinced that her friend didn't drown because she was a great swimmer, and also is mad about how her last conversation with her went.
I really like this book so far. Here's what its about. Twelve-year-old Suzy Swanson wades through her intense grief over the loss of her best friend by investigating the rare jellyfish she is convinced was responsible for her friend's death.
When Suzys best friend dies in a drowning accident she stops talking except for when it's absolutely necessary. She is sure she died because of a jelly fish sting. Suzy does her best to find out for sure even if it includes traveling across the world to Australia without telling anyone.
The Thing About Jellyfish is a very interesting novel. From many other reviews i have read that it is very touching and interseting to go on the journey with the girl in the book! Although i may not have read it yet the book seems very well thought out and intriguing.
Suzy's friend just died because she drowned. Suzy is sure that her friend couldn't have drowned because from the moment they met her friend was a way better swimmer than her. Because her friend died Suzy has committed to being silent. Suzy decides to take it upon herself to figure out what happened to her best friend and tries to prove that her friend didn't just drown.