Clues to the Universe by Christina Li – Book Review

Title: Clues to the Universe Author: Christina Li Publisher: Greenwillow Books Release Date: January 5, 2021

Benjamin “Benji” Burns spends most of his time drawing, thinking of ways to find his absentee father, and reading comic books, especially his favorite “Spacebound.” After his best friend moves away, though, he is left to his do his favorite hobbies on his own.

Rosalind “Ro” Ling Geraghty lost her father over a year ago. Still reeling from pain and grief, she sets out to continue on their mission to build a model rocket and launch it in to space.

When a folder mix-up and a Science class project pairing bring Benji and Ro together, they both promise to help each other with their respective quests: find Benji’s father and build Ro’s rocket. From there, their shared tale undergoes heartwarming twists and riveting turns. As their friendship transforms, their shared experience and the failures and accomplishments that come with it will lead them through their grief and bring them closer to those that love them.

Clues to the Universe by Christina Li is a pitch perfect middle grade novel. Li delicately addresses the ways in which Benji and Ro cope with and overcome their grief. The author also realistically portrays the challenges of middle school friendships and bullying. No character is perfect, no choice is easy, and the novel’s plot adeptly reveals important lessons about what it means to be a friend, to be family, and to be true to oneself. By alternating perspectives between Benji, who is White, and Ro, who is half-Chinese and half-White, Clues to the Universe will keep readers engaged and invested in the characters’ stories. Although fast-paced, Li tenderly addresses challenging topics and gives such explorations the space they need to uncover important truths. In the end, Li’s Clues to the Universe is an impressive and important debut novel. This #ownvoices narrative contributes another stellar novel to the blossoming genre.

Educators will find myriad reasons to want to teach Clues to the Universe. With its STEM and comic book connections, teachers will be able to find ways to engage a variety of student interests. While many novels provide a way to collaborate with other teachers, Clues to the Universe offers a Science and Art collaboration opportunity. Such a book will be hard to pass up and the rich cross-curricular possibilities too tempting to not indulge. Plus, students will absolutely love Benji, Ro, and their true-to-life friendship.

Thank you to Edelweiss+ and publisher, Greenwillow Books, for an eARC of this book.

Classroom Applications

• Cross-Curricular Study – Teach the novel in conjunction with a Science unit about physics, rockets, and space exploration.
• Project – If learning about physics or rockets in Science class, assign the novel as part of a project assignment.
• Book Club or Book Exchange – Share the novel with students that enjoy reading realistic fiction books.

Nonfiction Connections

The list below outlines topics that will enrich your students’ understanding of the novel.

• Rocket Launches
• Physics
• Comics

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Clues to the Universe. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• Quintessence by Jess Redman (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• Many Points of Me by Caroline Gertler (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• The Boys in the Back Row by Michael Jung (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• Shouting at the Rain by Linda Mullaly Hunt (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)

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