Juniper Lemon’s Happiness Index

Juniper “Juni” Lemon, 16, is struggling with the death of her older sister, Camie. Using a method that Camie taught her to see the good in life, Juni writes down the positive and negative things that happen during a given day on numbered index cards. When Juni finds a breakup letter her sister wrote to an unknown “you,” she decides to track down the mystery paramour to deliver the note. But things go awry on the first day of school when Juni loses index card #65, which marks the number of days since the car accident that killed Camie and carries Juni’s deepest secret. Israel’s debut novel sensitively examines loss, survivor’s guilt, and how one girl attempts to rebuild her life. The index cards help readers keep track of Juni’s healing amid a found-object art project, new friendships, and a blossoming romance. Israel handles the long, painful process of negotiating grief gently and realistically while cleverly interweaving the light mystery of “you’s” identity throughout, keeping readers guessing as Juni steps closer to finding closure. Ages 12–up. Agent: Susan Hawk, Bent Agency. (May)