Ruptured
Joanne Rossmassler Fritz
Holiday House
Age 9-14
Available November 14th, 2023!

Thirteen-year-old Claire has noticed the tension between her parents for years, so she plans to find solace in reading on their annual summer vacation in coastal Maine. However, when her mom suddenly has a brain aneurysm after sharing a personal secret, Claire is thrust into an unexpected journey of grief and worry. The novel is written in verse, which softens the shock of Claire’s experience and invites readers to cope alongside Claire with lines such as “Is it wrong to grieve for someone who is still alive?” (p. 120) and “not every rupture leads to death” (p. 67). With the help of her aunt who introduces her to photography, a new friend whose mom also had a brain aneurysm, and her desire to have more honest relationships with her dad and friends, Claire starts to heal from the complex waves of trauma and fear.

Fritz uses the calming, flowing, and healing nature of water to contrast the intense experiences Claire faces, comparing relief to a tide and whispers to sea spray. The smooth, free verse form flows quickly, but the short lines, stanzas, and chapters allow for necessary pauses and adds maturity to the prose. Pulling from her own experience surviving two ruptured aneurysms, described in the author’s note, Fritz uses Claire’s curiosity to incorporate information on brain aneurysms—even weaving in facts on health disparities and recovery rates. This novel pairs heavy topics with accessible language, calling to the middle-grade readers that need hope in moments they are forced to grow up too fast.