That's Not What Happened

by Kody Keplinger

Overview

From New York Times bestseller Kody Keplinger comes an astonishing and thought-provoking exploration of the aftermath of tragedy, the power of narrative, and how we remember what we've lost.

It's been three years since the Virgil County High School Massacre. Three years since my best friend, Sarah, was killed in a bathroom stall during the mass shooting. Everyone knows Sarah's story — that she died proclaiming her faith.But it's not true.I know because I was with her when she died. I didn't say anything then, and people got hurt because of it. Now Sarah's parents are publishing a book about her, so this might be my last chance to set the record straight... but I'm not the only survivor with a story to tell about what did — and didn't — happen that day.Except Sarah's martyrdom is important to a lot of people, people who don't take kindly to what I'm trying to do. And the more I learn, the less certain I am about what's right. I don't know what will be worse: the guilt of staying silent or the consequences of speaking up...

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338186536
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	03/03/2020
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	40,392
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Kody Keplinger grew up in a small Kentucky town. During her senior year of high school, she wrote her debut novel, The DUFF, which is a New York Times bestseller, a USA Today bestseller, a YALSA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and a Romantic Times Top Pick. It has since been adapted into a major motion picture. Kody is also the author of Lying Out Loud, a companion to The DUFF; That's Not What Happened; Run; Shut Out; and A Midsummer's Nightmare, as well as the middle-grade novels Lila and Hadley and The Swift Boys & Me. Kody lives in New York City, where she teaches writing workshops and continues to write books for kids and teens. You can find more about her and her books at kodykeplinger.com.

Read an Excerpt

But this, it felt too normal. I found myself scanning the crowd for Sarah, as if I expected to see her waiting for me, the way she had been every other morning I’d walked into this school. Her bright purple backpack slung over one shoulder, a Pop-Tart in hand. And she’d always have an extra one for me, because she knew I skipped breakfast in favor of sleeping in.Of course, Sarah and her backpack and her Pop-Tarts weren’t there. So I just stood in the middle of the cafeteria with no idea what to do or where to go.That’s when I saw the plaque, a large, shiny black square hung up on a pillar in the center of the room. It was the only real physical change to this part of the school, and I almost hadn’t noticed it. I took a few steps forward, looking up at it, and wishing I had the strength not to.The plaque was engraved with their names. All nine victims, listed in alphabetical order. I took them in one at a time, even though I already knew them by heart.Kevin BrantleyBrenna DuValJared GraysonRosi MartinezSarah McHaleRichard McMullenThomas NolanAiden StroudEssie TaylorAnd beneath their names was a quote from Emily Dickinson:“Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality.”I hated that quote, because it was a lie. Even if love were immortality, I couldn’t help thinking that eventually everyone who loved you would be dead, too. And then what did any of it matter? It didn’t. Quotes like those were just there to make the living feel better. Another way to help us ignore the fact that oblivion was inevitable.

Editorial Reviews

06/04/2018
As the anniversary of the school shooting that killed eight people, including her best friend, approaches, Leeann is anxious and sad. She’s also angry—not just at the shooter, but at the people who turned Sarah into a martyr whose dying thought was of faith, and at herself for not clearing things up sooner. Searching for the truth, Leeann asks the other five students who were in the shooter’s range, four of whom have become her closest friends, to tell their stories, and their narratives are folded into the book. The fifth survivor has left town, but Leeann tracks her down. As the truths mount up and displace each other, the survivors must come to terms with what they did and didn’t do that day, and how different that may be from what people think happened. Keplinger (The DUFF) effectively conveys how the stories they’ve told and have been told about the shooting have shaped each survivor’s sense of who they are. The result is an original and engrossing narrative about scars, recovery, and how the stories we tell can both sustain and hobble us. Ages 12–up. Agent: Brianne Johnson, Writers House. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for New York Times bestselling author Kody KeplingerThat's Not What Happened"An original and engrossing narrative about scars, recovery, and how the stories we tell can both sustain and hobble us." —Publishers Weekly"Echoing highly publicized tragedies, this taut, emotional story goes behind the headlines to reveal lives impacted by school violence." —Kirkus Reviews"A timely, thought-provoking read...." —School Library JournalUnique... This is a must-read." —PASTE magazineRun"Bo and Agnes' unlikely friendship rings true and strong." —Kirkus Reviews"A good unlikely friendship story with compelling characters and a nuanced portrait of disability and small-town life." —School Library Journal"There's plenty to recommend . . . though the most effective thing here remains Agnes' and Bo's voices and the strength of their realistically tumultuous relationship." —BooklistThe DUFF"[A] well-written, irreverent, and heartfelt debut." —Publishers Weekly"A complex, enemies-with-benefits relationship that the YA market has never seen before . . . Her snarky teen speak, true-to-life characterizations, and rollicking sense of humor never cease in her debut." —Kirkus Reviews"What's best here is Bianca's brazen voice. Even when confused, she is truer to herself than most." —BooklistLying Out Loud, a companion to The DUFF"Just like the recipients of Sonny's fibs, readers will find themselves duped by her creativity, unabashed courage, and hilarious snark. Until it all blows up. Fierce, fresh, total fun." —Kirkus Reviews"Readers will cringe as Sonny digs herself deeper and deeper into trouble, then applaud when she learns how to develop trust in her relationships with parents, friends, and of course, a hot romantic interest." —VOYA"Sonny is a realistic and very human character, and even though she is a liar, her motivations are all too believable." —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

07/01/2018
Gr 8 Up—Three years ago, the students of Virgil County High School experienced the unthinkable: a mass school shooting. Now, the survivors are writing letters about their experiences that day, how it affected them afterwards, and their relationships to the victims. One of the victims, Sarah McHale, is known around the world as the Girl with the Cross Necklace, who died defending her faith. As her family prepares to write a book about her and her last proclamation, Lee—the protagonist and Sarah's best friend—feels that she needs to speak up and reveal the truth about Sarah. In a time where mass shootings have been all too common, this story gives a voice to the victims and survivors, all while avoiding mention of the shooter's name. Keplinger is known for her relatable characters and realistic teen voices and this work is no exception. The book includes a blind character, a wheelchair user, and an asexual character. This title adeptly explores how the truth can be different for people who suffered the same tragedy. VERDICT A timely, thought-provoking read that would be a worthy addition to all high school libraries; for fans of Violent Ends by Shaun David Hutchinson.—Morgan O'Reilly, Riverdale Country School, NY

School Library Journal

2018-05-28
A school shooting survivor is determined to correct untrue stories about the tragic event.Senior Leanne Bauer faces the third anniversary of the incident that took nine lives at rural Virgil County High School. Afterward, tales spread that her best friend, Sarah, defended her Christian faith before she was murdered, something eyewitness Lee knows to be untrue. However, Sarah's religious family and the community at large embrace that story. When fellow survivor Denny asks Lee to read his college scholarship letter, she is inspired to ask the other eyewitnesses to write their stories too. One of the six, Kellie, has moved away, her family hounded when she insisted that the cross necklace found at the site actually belonged to her, not Sarah. Lee becomes convinced that she must get Kellie to participate if the project is to be complete. Echoing highly publicized tragedies, this taut, emotional story goes behind the headlines to reveal lives impacted by school violence. The characterizations are strong: Gay, Latinx Eden struggles with guilt over her difficult relationship with her murdered cousin. White, fervently Christian Ashley is a staunch supporter of the accepted narrative, while Miles, white and already troubled before, is even more withdrawn. Denny, African-American and blind, appears the most grounded, though readers only glimpse his backstory. White, working-class Lee is a nuanced and believable protagonist.A timely page-turner that will resonate with readers. (Fiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews