Many Points of Me by Caroline Gertler – Book Review

Title: Many Points of Me Author: Caroline Gertler Publisher: Greenwillow Books Release Date: January 5, 2021

Georgia’s father, a famous artist, died nearly two years ago, and not a day goes by that she misses him. Her passion for art feels lackluster and empty. Her relationships with her mother and best friend, Theo, feel different and dull. Her ability to create is nonexistent. As Georgia makes sense of her grief and how her father’s passing has changed her, she makes a discovery that might have huge consequences for his art legacy and for her own connection to him. Georgia sets out to prove that her father planned to create the fourth famous asterism painting of her. This quest pushes her limits, helps her cope with her father’s loss, and leads her back to those that love her the most.

Many Points of Me by Caroline Gertler is an in-depth character study of a young person dealing with the loss of a beloved parent. Readers will mourn Georgia’s loss and rejoice in her happiness. Extended narration and monologues provide any reader the opportunity to connect with Georgia. At the same time, characters, who all assume the White Default, like Theo and Harper also give dimension to Georgia’s struggles. These characters don’t simply fill a typical or cliche roll; they add complexity to the story. Georgia’s discovery and subsequent journey to prove her theory about her father’s art demonstrates the author’s skillful writing. The art journey and healing journey are deftly weaved together as one. The obvious and thorough knowledge of art and the art world contributes to an authentic narrative that will encourage creative visualization and a certain desire to visit the nearest art museum.

Many Points of Me is unique in that it will allow rich collaboration between teachers. Gertler’s character study of Georgia and focus on self-portraits serves as a perfect way to merge ELA and Art. The self-portrait project and self-identity theme provide a special opportunity for students to be immersed in the same art forms as Georgia. Such explorations will undoubtedly produce amazing and insightful work from students. Many Points of Me is the perfect novel to create opportunities for students to do this kind of important, inclusive, and cross-curricular work.

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 an Art unit about self-portraits, modern art, and asterisms.
• Project – If learning about self-portraits in Art 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.

• Modern Art
• Artistic Process
• Grief and Coping
• Asterisms

Book Companions

The following are great books to pair with Many Points of Me. In parenthesis are the specific aspects students could explore when synthesizing across the texts.

• Quintessence by Jess Redman (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)
• Clues to the Universe by Christina Li (Character Connections, Nonfiction Connections, Themes)

*LIT Lessons participates in the Amazon Associate Program and earns a fee from qualifying purchases made on the Amazon.com site.