Behind These Hands

by Linda Vigen Phillips

Overview

In this novel told in verse, 14-year-old Claire Fairchild struggles to reconcile her own musical success with the Batten disease that will claim the lives of her two younger brothers. When Claire meets a centenarian with only one regret, she knows she’ll have to change, but she’ll need her friends to help her find her courage.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781611532586
Publisher:	Light Messages Publishing
Publication date:	07/17/2018
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	300
File size:	1 MB
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Linda Vigen Phillips' passion is creating realistic fiction that offers hope to teens and their families who face mental or physical health challenges. Her debut book, Crazy, depicts the struggles of a teenage girl in the 1960' s coming to terms with her mother's bipolar disorder. It earned such accolades in 2015 as lndieFab Book of the Year Finalist, short-list for SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, and Honor book for Paterson Prize for Books. Like Crazy, Heart Behind These Hands is a Young Adult verse novel. When her brothers are diagnosed with Batten Disease, a rare neurodegenerative disorder that will bring early death, piano-prodigy Clair must decide how to deal with the ticking clock, her own dreams, and the need for a celebration of life. Linda enjoys advocating for better mental health through her involvement with National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI}, conducting writing workshops, and spending time with her grandkids. She lives in Charlotte, NC where she and her husband love to sit on the screened porch to watch the grass grow.

Editorial Reviews

"In Behind These Hands, Linda Vigen Phillips’s lyrical language paints a vivid picture of a world colored by a crushing disease. My sister was born with Batten disease, and this story’s emotionally charged moments bear an uncanny resemblance to scenes from my own life.  Whether or not you’ve heard of Batten disease, read this book.  You’ll discover, along with Phillips’s teenage heroine, how to face the prospect of losing someone you love and still face the day."  —Laura King Edwards, author, speaker, and co-founder of Taylor’s Tale, the world’s leading charity focused on eradicating infantile Batten disease


“A beautiful story! Lyrical and poignant. Emotional and heart-grabbing. The love we feel for family and the complications it can bring are all over every page. You’ll have a hard time putting down this novel in verse.”  —Skila Brown, author, Caminar

From the Publisher

07/01/2018
Gr 6 Up—Until now, 14-year-old Claire Fairchild's life has been simple. A gifted pianist, she's the beloved child of educators and the adored sister of rambunctious, six-year-old twin boys. Claire thought getting ready for an acclaimed musical competition would be her most intimidating challenge to date, but nothing prepared her for the medical condition now ravaging her brothers—Batten disease. As Claire and her family try to come to terms with this reality, Claire finds that her passion for the piano eludes her. She is lucky to have Juan, one of her closest childhood friends and a fellow musician, reminding her of who she was before Batten and helping her navigate a "new normal." Claire's process of grief will feel relatable, and her family's responses are likely to resonate. The novel falters only on a couple of points; in a few places, the language feels dated or unrealistic, and there is a saccharine sweetness in the reactions of Claire's friends. The denouement and conclusion feel overly tidy and rosy. Nevertheless, for its validating emotional content, it is a worthy addition. Give this moving novel in verse to readers coping with a health crisis close to home. VERDICT A solid choice for middle and high school shelves.—Melissa Williams, Berwick Academy, ME

School Library Journal

★ 2018-05-15
When devastating news hits, a 14-year-old piano prodigy questions her place in her family and the world in this novel in verse.Claire Fairchild was born to make music and has been preparing for an elite competition that could have a tremendous impact on her future. When both of her little brothers, Trent, 6, and Davy, 7, are diagnosed with Batten disease, a rare, incurable illness that leads to physical and mental deterioration and then death, Claire's carefully outlined world collapses: "Batten has rearranged our family / like pieces of familiar furniture / placed awkwardly in a new setting." Music is no longer important: "I don't feel the music in me at all. / It feels dead." She feels "dirty inside" for worrying about the impact this news has on her competition prep. How can she continue to make music when her brothers are dying? With the support of her friends, Juan and Mia, Claire finds hope—not that her brothers will live, but that she can use her music to celebrate their lives, no matter how brief. Free verse evokes the myriad emotions brought up by the story's numerous well-balanced themes. The result is a richly woven, unforgettable symphony of feelings and words. Claire and her family are white, as is Mia; Juan is Cuban.Brings awareness with sensitivity and grace to a rare, always fatal disease. (author's note) (Fiction. 12-17)

Kirkus Reviews