A speculative middle grade novel about three generations of Black girls connected across time and space through a wormhole in their school locker.A School Library Journal and Chicago Public Library Best Book of the YearWhat if your locker was a wormhole to the past?On the first day of eighth grade, Candace Wells opens her locker and is astonished when an unusual bird flies out. Soon after, a notebook mysteriously appears on the top shelf, labeled Tracey Auburn, 1988. Stranger still, as Candace reads the notebook, new messages start to appear.
Professor Tracey Auburn only vaguely remembers a bird flying into her locker in eighth grade, way back in 1988, and losing a notebook she could have sworn she put on the top shelf. Until Candace shows up at her office with the missing notebook forty years later.
Quantum physicist Loretta Spencer will never forget the bird flying out of her locker in eighth grade in 1948. Her life’s work has been to study the portal and others like it, and now she needs Tracey’s and Candace’s help to complete her research.
So begins an unlikely friendship and a hunt around Chicago and the state of Illinois to uncover the secrets of the locker, the universe, and everything. One thing’s for sure: Eighth grade will never be the same again.
Praise for Candace, the Universe, and Everything:
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year
* “A captivating blend of science fiction and coming-of-age storytelling that explores friendship, identity, and wonder across generations . . . A sophisticated blend of science and realism for readers who enjoyed the time-travel mystery of Rebecca Stead’s
When You Reach Me or the intergenerational depth of Kelly Barnhill’s
The Girl Who Drank the Moon. A strong addition to those seeking diverse speculative fiction with emotional resonance.” —
School Library Journal,
starred review
* “A warm, funny, richly nuanced story centering on the complex dynamics of friendships, both among peers and between generations . . . the distinctly 'unordinary' characters are thoroughly winsome, and readers will be well pleased to find the author leading them through an extraordinary quest to a promise of further adventures to come.” —
Booklist,
starred review“A stellar work of middle-grade science fiction . . . Smith's novel is filled with cosmic metaphors, intergenerational connections, science, and self-discovery . . . With its contemporary
When You Reach Me tone,
Candace, the Universe, and Everything reminds readers that although the universe is boundless, our connections to each other are limited and thus extremely meaningful.” —
Shelf Awareness“With perceptive prose and nods to both “A Wrinkle in Time” and the Underground Railroad, this is a cerebral speculative mystery to be savored.” —
The Washington Post“Smith offers nuanced portrayals of the well-rounded characters and their relationships, combined with enjoyable fantasy elements . . . A heartwarming adventure that explores courage, self-belief, and dreams.” —
Kirkus Reviews
“The trio’s heartwarming bond takes center stage; with help from the older women, who act as her mentors, Candace learns how to navigate friendship woes and a first crush.” —
Publishers Weekly
“The heart of this story lies with the three generations of Black women who each are confronting drastic life changes (friendship, jobs, and the inevitability of aging) and who find solace in the perspectives they offer one another.” —
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books “Inventive, unique, and empowering—a book that transcends time.” —Erin Entrada Kelly, two-time Newbery Medal–winning author of
The First State of Being and
Hello, Universe
“A delightful celebration of intergenerational friendship that blends history, mystery, and science!” —Gene Luen Yang, Printz Award–winning author of
American Born Chinese
“Gorgeous prose, intricate plotting, and truer-than-true characters—all woven into a fantastical adventure set firmly in our very real world. Honestly, I can’t imagine anyone not loving this surprising, complex, wonderful book. Sherri L. Smith is a writer of ‘unordinary
’ brilliance and imagination.” —Laurel Snyder, award-winning author of
Orphan Island
“A captivating, funny, and altogether ingenious tale about a girl dealing with the seismic social shifts of eighth grade while trying to solve a mystery that brings the fundamental nature of the universe into question. Sherri L. Smith is one of the most exciting writers in the field, and, once again, she has done something extraordinary.” —Anne Ursu, award-winning author of
The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy
“A unique exploration of Black girlhood and womanhood and of intergenerational relationships. . . the impact of Candace seeing herself reflected in the intelligent, accomplished women who have come before is profound. A compelling story of connectedness and the wonder of finding one’s place in the universe.” —
The Horn Book
