The Geography of You and Me

Last summer, one of my favorite books was This is What Happy Looks Like by Jennifer Smith. This morning I read her new book. It is the story of Lucy and Owen who meet on a stuck elevator during a blackout in New York City. They spend the rest of the night together wandering the city and getting to know each other. For some reason, they are instantly connected. But the next day Owen is gone and Lucy isn't sure what to do. Her parents are taking her abroad and his dad is moving them west, so they don't get to connect again except through postcards. Over the next nine months, they find themselves in many different places, both foreign and domestic. They meet other people and go on with their lives, but both know something is missing and that something is each other. After a disastrous meeting in San Francisco, they lose touch for a while. They do some soul searching. They connect with their parents. They get some good advice. And they both decide to take the advice and take a chance. You can't know the answer until you ask the question. This is a lovely story that takes you around the world and back again. I love Jennifer Smith's storytelling, it is hopeful and light and way better than a postcard. Happy reading my friends!