A Field Guide to Broken Promises
A Field Guide to Broken Promises by Leah Stecher is a middle grade novel published by Bloomsbury USA on May 6, 2025. This 288-page book delves into the challenges of striving for perfection through the experiences of Evie Steinberg, who grapples with the pressures of fitting in at her new school while managing family expectations. As she navigates her seventh-grade year, Evie promises her father that she will ensure everything goes perfectly, a commitment that becomes increasingly difficult as she faces bullying and academic struggles.
Readers will find a narrative that explores themes of friendship, social skills, and the complexities of growing up. Evie’s journey is marked by her attempts to balance her responsibilities, including caring for her little sister, while confronting the realities of being targeted by a bully. As she employs her cryptozoologist skills to uncover the motivations behind her bully’s actions, Evie learns valuable lessons about truth and resilience. This edition offers a thoughtful perspective on the pressures of adolescence, making it a relevant read for young audiences.
Official synopsis Publisher
In this heartfelt follow-up to her critically acclaimed novel The Things We Miss, Leah Stecher explores the pressure of living up to perfection.
When Evie Steinberg’s family moves right before seventh grade, she promises her dad that she’ll make sure everything goes perfectly. Maybe if she keeps her promise, he’ll finally forgive her for accidentally ruining the biggest moment of his cryptozoology career last spring.
Perfect means taking care of her little sister, fitting in at her new school, and never complaining or causing problems. Perfect definitely doesn’t mean being bullied by a girl who’s turning the whole school against her and failing math class.
Evie needs to fix her life before anyone finds out she’s struggling. When she uses her cryptozoologist skills to figure out the real reason her bully decided to target her, Evie realizes that she holds the key to fixing everything. She just needs proof. But how far is Evie willing to go to reveal the truth?
This tender and imaginative middle grade novel combines a fast-paced plot and reluctant reader appeal with explorations of perfectionism, people-pleasing, and bullying.
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