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The In-Between
A middle grade memoir in verse chronicles a young girl and her family who must start over after losing their home.
In the early 2000s, thirteen-year-old Katie Van Heidrich has moved more times that she can count, for as long as she can remember. There were the slow moves where you see the whole thing coming. There were the fast ones where you grab what you can in seconds. When Katie and her family come back from an out-of-town funeral, they discover their landlord has unceremoniously evicted them, forcing them to pack lightly and move quickly.
They make their way to an Extended Stay America Motel, with Katie’s mother promising it’s temporary. Within the four walls of their new home, Katie and her siblings, Josh and Haley, try to live a normal life—all while wondering if things would be easier living with their father. Katie navigates the complexities that come with living in-between: in between homes, parents, and childhood and young adulthood, all while remaining hopeful for the future.
In the early 2000s, thirteen-year-old Katie Van Heidrich has moved more times that she can count, for as long as she can remember. There were the slow moves where you see the whole thing coming. There were the fast ones where you grab what you can in seconds. When Katie and her family come back from an out-of-town funeral, they discover their landlord has unceremoniously evicted them, forcing them to pack lightly and move quickly.
They make their way to an Extended Stay America Motel, with Katie’s mother promising it’s temporary. Within the four walls of their new home, Katie and her siblings, Josh and Haley, try to live a normal life—all while wondering if things would be easier living with their father. Katie navigates the complexities that come with living in-between: in between homes, parents, and childhood and young adulthood, all while remaining hopeful for the future.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 17, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
November 8, 2023
Beautiful writing with so many thought-provoking ideas. Loved the teacher types and the journey of navigating the in-between.
Must remember Maya’s words: She comprehended the perversity of life, that in the struggle lies the joy.
Must remember Maya’s words: She comprehended the perversity of life, that in the struggle lies the joy.
February 3, 2024
I felt very nostalgic finding all the early 2000s Easter eggs in this memoir in verse. I had to break out my middle school cd collection to re-listen to some Brandy, Christina, and Alicia Keys. Life is messy and Katie is stuck in the middle of it. I enjoyed this slice of life a lot. It took a while to finish, but I think that was more my head space than the book itself.
January 13, 2023
When Katie and her family return home after an out-of-town funeral, they find themselves evicted from their apartment. To Katie’s dismay, her mother then settles into an Extended Stay hotel as their for-now home while she searches for a new job and an affordable apartment. A middle-grade memoir written in verse, The In-Between by Katie Van Heidrich (Simon & Schuster, January 2023) chronicles six weeks in her teenaged life in which she had no home.
Katie is in-between in a number of ways. She’s in-between homes as well as in-between her parents. Her mom is now setting up home in one hotel room and her now-remarried father in his suburban home. She feels in-between being in charge (such as she often has had to be when her mother was in-between herself) and letting her mother take charge. She is in-between with friends too: her new boyfriend and best friend have come at odds with each other. And mostly, Katie struggles with the in-between of her crowded and chaotic home life and the everything-as-usual routine at school.
The story is told in verse, and this format seems to emphasize the metaphors that appear in the book, such as “volcanoes” and “brick walls.” The verse format also lets the writing shine. There were so many relatable parallel thoughts and sentences in her stream-of-consciousness. I enjoyed how the verse format echoed those similarities throughout the text. Reading the story in verse encouraged me to consider how each sentence or thought was broken down and why it was done so, in order to see just which things were most significant to our narrator.
There is a lot of find in Katie’s story. This feeling of being “in-between” is one many will relate to, even if homelessness is not what they are facing.
I read a digital review copy of this book.
Katie is in-between in a number of ways. She’s in-between homes as well as in-between her parents. Her mom is now setting up home in one hotel room and her now-remarried father in his suburban home. She feels in-between being in charge (such as she often has had to be when her mother was in-between herself) and letting her mother take charge. She is in-between with friends too: her new boyfriend and best friend have come at odds with each other. And mostly, Katie struggles with the in-between of her crowded and chaotic home life and the everything-as-usual routine at school.
The story is told in verse, and this format seems to emphasize the metaphors that appear in the book, such as “volcanoes” and “brick walls.” The verse format also lets the writing shine. There were so many relatable parallel thoughts and sentences in her stream-of-consciousness. I enjoyed how the verse format echoed those similarities throughout the text. Reading the story in verse encouraged me to consider how each sentence or thought was broken down and why it was done so, in order to see just which things were most significant to our narrator.
There is a lot of find in Katie’s story. This feeling of being “in-between” is one many will relate to, even if homelessness is not what they are facing.
I read a digital review copy of this book.
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May 24, 2024"The In-Between" is a touching memoir in verse that offers a deep dive into the transient life of its young protagonist, thirteen-year-old Katie. Set in the early 2000s, the narrative explores the frequent and often abrupt relocations Katie endures with her family—a lifestyle marked by both slow, anticipated moves and urgent, sudden departures. The latest in these upheavals occurs when Katie and her family return from a funeral only to find themselves evicted by their landlord, which sends them to live in an Extended Stay America Motel.
Within the constrained space of the motel, Katie, along with her siblings Josh and Haley, attempts to carve out a semblance of normalcy despite the instability swirling around them. As they toggle between hope and despair, they grapple with the complexities of their family dynamics, including the lingering question of whether life might be more stable with their father.
The narrative is rendered in a lyrical style that strives to capture the flux of Katie's experiences—from the physical act of moving to the more profound emotional transitions between childhood and young adulthood. This poetic approach enriches the storytelling by providing an intimate glimpse into Katie's inner world, though it may occasionally challenge the reader's engagement due to its unconventional format.
Rated a 3 out of 5, "The In-Between" is appreciated for its heartfelt depiction of a family in flux and the personal growth of its protagonist. However, the use of verse, while innovative, isn't consistently effective, sometimes making the narrative flow feel disjointed or peculiar to listeners or readers unaccustomed to this style.
Within the constrained space of the motel, Katie, along with her siblings Josh and Haley, attempts to carve out a semblance of normalcy despite the instability swirling around them. As they toggle between hope and despair, they grapple with the complexities of their family dynamics, including the lingering question of whether life might be more stable with their father.
The narrative is rendered in a lyrical style that strives to capture the flux of Katie's experiences—from the physical act of moving to the more profound emotional transitions between childhood and young adulthood. This poetic approach enriches the storytelling by providing an intimate glimpse into Katie's inner world, though it may occasionally challenge the reader's engagement due to its unconventional format.
Rated a 3 out of 5, "The In-Between" is appreciated for its heartfelt depiction of a family in flux and the personal growth of its protagonist. However, the use of verse, while innovative, isn't consistently effective, sometimes making the narrative flow feel disjointed or peculiar to listeners or readers unaccustomed to this style.
November 21, 2023
Thank you Simon Kids for gifting me this book.
This was absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking. I didn’t realize that it was a memoir and now I’m shattered. As a mom this really hit me in my soul. I can’t imagine.
It was so beautifully written. I often forgot that this was a middle grade book. The author has a beautiful way with words.
I recommend this to everyone. Even those that don’t read non fiction, memoirs or middle grade.
This was absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking. I didn’t realize that it was a memoir and now I’m shattered. As a mom this really hit me in my soul. I can’t imagine.
It was so beautifully written. I often forgot that this was a middle grade book. The author has a beautiful way with words.
I recommend this to everyone. Even those that don’t read non fiction, memoirs or middle grade.
March 5, 2023
Novel in verse about a 13-year old named Katie and her family who have to move a lot because Mom is in and out of work and has some mental health challenges. She has two siblings and they all see their Dad and his wife every other weekend. It touches on Katie’s life at school and her relationships with her siblings and parents. The story is based on the author’s own childhood.
March 20, 2024
3.5 stars. I liked this memoir. I felt like the first half of the book was slow. I was reading with my eyes but my brain wasn’t really processing what was happening. I felt that the ending was also abrupt. However, once I got halfway through I flew through it and understood what was happening. I think the poetry was also really good! Overall, I liked this book but didn’t love it.
May 26, 2023
Beautiful poetry.
June 3, 2023
super readable nonfic for kids, i was engaged the entire time
December 26, 2022
Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster for sending me an ARC of this extremely beautiful book! I am so glad that I got the chance to read it, and I will definitely be recommending that we purchase a copy for our library. The In-Between is a truly breathtaking memoir-in-verse that manages to strike a delicate balance between being raw and real and maintaining a level of hopefulness throughout. I haven't read too many books for middle-grade audiences that feature a child and her family living in a hotel, and I think it is a very important perspective that will resonate with some of the young people in my community who also may lack housing security as well. I absolutely loved the writing style, and I think the verse format worked especially well for the story that the author was telling. It's a truly one-of-a-kind book, and I would recommend it to both its intended audience of middle-grade readers as well as to teens and adults to help them gain some understanding of the topic.
March 19, 2023
Absolutely beautiful. A vulnerable and honest retelling from a teenagers perspective of time spent "In-Between" homes, parents, friends, and siblings. If the words: empathy, love, trust, hope, patience, remembrance, compromise, and self-discovery resonate with you then I HIGHLY recommend picking this book up. It's quite a quick read as well.
Some of my favorite stanzas I've typed out below
"This fairly new house is one
of mutual compromise and respect,
of mutual love and dependency,
for a fairly newly wed couple
who spend their days and nights
working
and any parts of their days and nights
not working,
preparing for work, fawning over each other,
or sleeping"
- No Shoes in the House, pg. 117
"We're supposed to be learning about ecosystems right now.
I'm not particularly interested
but perk up
when I hear Mr. Smith mention
eagle talons
and how they are able to grip their prey
at ten times the fore of the human grip and immediately
I think of Mom
and the way she sinks her talons
into us.
And what I hear Mr. Nelson emphasize,
more so than anything else,
is the fact that sometimes,
an eagle will lose its life clinging to that
which it wants most to hold,
long after it's become apparent that letting of
would ensure survival."
- Eagle Talons, pg. 152
"But I remember,
especially on nights like these,
and try to remind myself that if God saw fit
for all four of us to survive that crash
and to walk away with minimal injuries,
then surely,
He meant for us to survive this, too.
After all, Mom is a survivor,
and I have seen her make ways
out of no ways before."
- Are We Broken Too?, pg. 187
"...I feel in my heart
she needs someone to listen to
more than I need to be heard.
So when she takes over a conversation,
I let her have it.
...but I love her anyway,
because I tell myself that if it's a wall she needs,
then a wall I will be,
after everything she's been through,
after everything we've been through,
because her need to talk to walls
might just be more important
than my need for a mother
who listens.
even though
my neediness continues to
knead me
into something I don't want to be
but don't know how not to be,
just yet."
- Neediness, pg. 205 & 208
"I've found it's okay not to have all the answers,
that as long as I can learn to let go a little
of how I believe things should be,
of how I believe people should behavior and react,
and own what I can,
which is myself
and an appreciation for what I do have,
that everything can be okay,
even if everything around me
is not."
- Open My Heart, pg. 282
Some of my favorite stanzas I've typed out below
"This fairly new house is one
of mutual compromise and respect,
of mutual love and dependency,
for a fairly newly wed couple
who spend their days and nights
working
and any parts of their days and nights
not working,
preparing for work, fawning over each other,
or sleeping"
- No Shoes in the House, pg. 117
"We're supposed to be learning about ecosystems right now.
I'm not particularly interested
but perk up
when I hear Mr. Smith mention
eagle talons
and how they are able to grip their prey
at ten times the fore of the human grip and immediately
I think of Mom
and the way she sinks her talons
into us.
And what I hear Mr. Nelson emphasize,
more so than anything else,
is the fact that sometimes,
an eagle will lose its life clinging to that
which it wants most to hold,
long after it's become apparent that letting of
would ensure survival."
- Eagle Talons, pg. 152
"But I remember,
especially on nights like these,
and try to remind myself that if God saw fit
for all four of us to survive that crash
and to walk away with minimal injuries,
then surely,
He meant for us to survive this, too.
After all, Mom is a survivor,
and I have seen her make ways
out of no ways before."
- Are We Broken Too?, pg. 187
"...I feel in my heart
she needs someone to listen to
more than I need to be heard.
So when she takes over a conversation,
I let her have it.
...but I love her anyway,
because I tell myself that if it's a wall she needs,
then a wall I will be,
after everything she's been through,
after everything we've been through,
because her need to talk to walls
might just be more important
than my need for a mother
who listens.
even though
my neediness continues to
knead me
into something I don't want to be
but don't know how not to be,
just yet."
- Neediness, pg. 205 & 208
"I've found it's okay not to have all the answers,
that as long as I can learn to let go a little
of how I believe things should be,
of how I believe people should behavior and react,
and own what I can,
which is myself
and an appreciation for what I do have,
that everything can be okay,
even if everything around me
is not."
- Open My Heart, pg. 282
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2022
E ARC provided by Netgalley
When Katie and her family return to their apartment from a funeral, they find that the landlord hasn't fed the fish, which have died, or taken the cat out of her carrier. Angered, her mother throws the fish tank down the steps, and the family pack up their few belongings and take off. With the help of a family friend, they end up in an extended stay hotel. Katie's mother has a history of difficulty in keeping jobs, and the parents divorce was very bitter, especially when it came to custody of Katie and her younger siblings, Josh and Haley. Their father (who is white; their mother is black) lives with his new wife, Ning, a little distance away, in a nice house with spare rooms, and the children do go to visit him on the weekends. Katie wishes that they could live with him, instead of in the cramped hotel room, but her mother is afraid she would not be able to hold onto them. Living in a hotel has a lot of problems, and Katie is afraid when she gets a notice at school that proof of residence can be required at any time, since her mother now drives her some distance back to their school because the family is no longer in district. Katie struggles with school while dealing with the difficult living arrangements and the tension between her parents.
Strengths: There are a lot of my students who have to deal with parents who have trouble keeping jobs, are struggling with custody arrangements, or who are housing insecure, so it's good to see this reflected in the literature. Katie understands logically why her family is in the situation it is, but obviously can't quite comes to terms with this insecurity emotionally. She hopes that things will get better, and has some positive influences in her life, and also tries to make things a little better for her younger brother and sister. Aside from Baptiste's Isaiah Dunn is My Hero, I can't think of another book that depicts a family living in a hotel, although there are a decent number of middle grade books depicting life in homeless shelters.
Weaknesses: This sounded like it might have been semi-autobiographical, since the setting seemed to be just post 9/11 and the characters have names similar to the author's family in the end notes. I would have liked more details about living in the hotel (like Nielsen's 2018 No Fixed Address) but can understand why the author focused on the emotions rather than the experience.
What I really think: This might be popular with readers who enjoyed Hopkins' Closer to Nowhere or Lowell's 2022 The Road to After which are also a problem novels in verse.
When Katie and her family return to their apartment from a funeral, they find that the landlord hasn't fed the fish, which have died, or taken the cat out of her carrier. Angered, her mother throws the fish tank down the steps, and the family pack up their few belongings and take off. With the help of a family friend, they end up in an extended stay hotel. Katie's mother has a history of difficulty in keeping jobs, and the parents divorce was very bitter, especially when it came to custody of Katie and her younger siblings, Josh and Haley. Their father (who is white; their mother is black) lives with his new wife, Ning, a little distance away, in a nice house with spare rooms, and the children do go to visit him on the weekends. Katie wishes that they could live with him, instead of in the cramped hotel room, but her mother is afraid she would not be able to hold onto them. Living in a hotel has a lot of problems, and Katie is afraid when she gets a notice at school that proof of residence can be required at any time, since her mother now drives her some distance back to their school because the family is no longer in district. Katie struggles with school while dealing with the difficult living arrangements and the tension between her parents.
Strengths: There are a lot of my students who have to deal with parents who have trouble keeping jobs, are struggling with custody arrangements, or who are housing insecure, so it's good to see this reflected in the literature. Katie understands logically why her family is in the situation it is, but obviously can't quite comes to terms with this insecurity emotionally. She hopes that things will get better, and has some positive influences in her life, and also tries to make things a little better for her younger brother and sister. Aside from Baptiste's Isaiah Dunn is My Hero, I can't think of another book that depicts a family living in a hotel, although there are a decent number of middle grade books depicting life in homeless shelters.
Weaknesses: This sounded like it might have been semi-autobiographical, since the setting seemed to be just post 9/11 and the characters have names similar to the author's family in the end notes. I would have liked more details about living in the hotel (like Nielsen's 2018 No Fixed Address) but can understand why the author focused on the emotions rather than the experience.
What I really think: This might be popular with readers who enjoyed Hopkins' Closer to Nowhere or Lowell's 2022 The Road to After which are also a problem novels in verse.
January 17, 2023
Written in lovely, open prose, this is a potent glimpse into the life of a girl, who's trying to find ground on an every-shifting base.
Katie's family returns from a several day trip to a funeral only to find themselves without a home. In a scramble to have a roof over their head, they move into a hotel, where the mother searches for a new job, while the kids attend school. Katie is determine not to have any of her friends or classmates discover her situation, which considering other school drama, isn't easy for her to handle. Then, she also is trying to mentally balance their situation with that of her father, who is remarried and lives in a large house with rooms to spare.
The author has masterfully used verse and literary devices to create a beautiful read. The reader sinks into Katie's thoughts, concerns, and view of her world as she steers the difficult situation of living without a solid home. The fears, insecurities, and confusion are understandable and no problem to sympathize with. And all of this reveals a situation not often mentioned in literature for younger audiences, but more often a reality than most people want to admit.
The writing was well done, and I am considering using it in my own homeschooling curriculum (especially for literary devices and analysis), albeit for high school rather than middle grade. While the upper end of the middle grade audience will be able to identify with Katie, I wonder if tweens and teens might be a better fit with the imagery and depth. It dives deep into emotions and takes a peek at the world only through Katie's view and thoughts, which also means (out of necessity) that the other characters are left superficial. Also, for more impatient readers (which I've always tended to be), the sea of thought creates a slower pacing.
It's a well-crafted memoir with an interesting glimpse into a lesser visited situation. For those who enjoy emotions, beautiful prose, and depth, it's worth picking up. I received a DRC and really enjoyed the lovely, written verse.
Katie's family returns from a several day trip to a funeral only to find themselves without a home. In a scramble to have a roof over their head, they move into a hotel, where the mother searches for a new job, while the kids attend school. Katie is determine not to have any of her friends or classmates discover her situation, which considering other school drama, isn't easy for her to handle. Then, she also is trying to mentally balance their situation with that of her father, who is remarried and lives in a large house with rooms to spare.
The author has masterfully used verse and literary devices to create a beautiful read. The reader sinks into Katie's thoughts, concerns, and view of her world as she steers the difficult situation of living without a solid home. The fears, insecurities, and confusion are understandable and no problem to sympathize with. And all of this reveals a situation not often mentioned in literature for younger audiences, but more often a reality than most people want to admit.
The writing was well done, and I am considering using it in my own homeschooling curriculum (especially for literary devices and analysis), albeit for high school rather than middle grade. While the upper end of the middle grade audience will be able to identify with Katie, I wonder if tweens and teens might be a better fit with the imagery and depth. It dives deep into emotions and takes a peek at the world only through Katie's view and thoughts, which also means (out of necessity) that the other characters are left superficial. Also, for more impatient readers (which I've always tended to be), the sea of thought creates a slower pacing.
It's a well-crafted memoir with an interesting glimpse into a lesser visited situation. For those who enjoy emotions, beautiful prose, and depth, it's worth picking up. I received a DRC and really enjoyed the lovely, written verse.
May 8, 2023
"I'm only thirteen
but I've done a lot of living and moving,
finding that all things
eventually fall apart,
in time,
no matter how well packed."
In the early 2000s, Katie, 13, is an expert at moving as she’s done it at least a dozen times. She prefers the long moves where she can stop and think about what she's taking with her, as opposed to the short moves where she only has a few minutes to cram her life into one box or bag.
Katie longs to escape this “in-between” life and find a permanent home. But that’s not happening anytime soon as her family arrives to their apartment seeing the tell-tale signs of an impending eviction–no power and no note from the landlord extending the payment date for overdue rent.
As the oldest, Katie helps her younger siblings prepare to move–Josh, 12, and Haley, 11. It’s just them and their mom after their parents divorced.
Katie knows it’s not good when her mom drives them to an extended stay motel, instead of a new apartment. Now they’re living farther away from school so they have to get up earlier and rely on their mom for rides.
This powerful memoir that’s a novel-in-verse reads like a regular fiction story. Katie poignantly describes her 7th grade life that’s full of middle school drama above and beyond her family’s financial struggles. Katie’s still mourning the loss of her BFF Maia after Katie chose her first boyfriend over her long-lasting friendship. Katie refuses to tell anyone at school about her family’s troubles; she has a lot to deal with and process so she journals about her life as a way to cope.
This difficult “in-between” time is about more than being homeless, it’s also about the depths of poverty Katie’s family faces when her mom struggles to find a new job, but yet refuses any help from her ex-husband. When Katie’s dad drops them off after the usual weekend visit with boxes of food, Katie’s mom lashes out at her kids and tells them to never let their father know how challenging things are right now.
Katie and her siblings also feel “in-between” in society as they are half-white thanks to their dad and half-black due to their mom. This “in-between” cultures also exists at their dad’s house where they are relegated to the basement after their dad marries Ning from Thailand. Katie wonders why there are two empty bedrooms upstairs at their dad’s but they have to sleep in the basement.
Students will be captivated by this gripping, true story that seems overwhelming at times. Katie’s experiences will be relatable to most readers as it deals with poverty, siblings, step-parents, divorce, first romance, friendship, and many other life issues. Thankfully, the story does end on a hopeful note even though there is no fairy godmother.
but I've done a lot of living and moving,
finding that all things
eventually fall apart,
in time,
no matter how well packed."
In the early 2000s, Katie, 13, is an expert at moving as she’s done it at least a dozen times. She prefers the long moves where she can stop and think about what she's taking with her, as opposed to the short moves where she only has a few minutes to cram her life into one box or bag.
Katie longs to escape this “in-between” life and find a permanent home. But that’s not happening anytime soon as her family arrives to their apartment seeing the tell-tale signs of an impending eviction–no power and no note from the landlord extending the payment date for overdue rent.
As the oldest, Katie helps her younger siblings prepare to move–Josh, 12, and Haley, 11. It’s just them and their mom after their parents divorced.
Katie knows it’s not good when her mom drives them to an extended stay motel, instead of a new apartment. Now they’re living farther away from school so they have to get up earlier and rely on their mom for rides.
This powerful memoir that’s a novel-in-verse reads like a regular fiction story. Katie poignantly describes her 7th grade life that’s full of middle school drama above and beyond her family’s financial struggles. Katie’s still mourning the loss of her BFF Maia after Katie chose her first boyfriend over her long-lasting friendship. Katie refuses to tell anyone at school about her family’s troubles; she has a lot to deal with and process so she journals about her life as a way to cope.
This difficult “in-between” time is about more than being homeless, it’s also about the depths of poverty Katie’s family faces when her mom struggles to find a new job, but yet refuses any help from her ex-husband. When Katie’s dad drops them off after the usual weekend visit with boxes of food, Katie’s mom lashes out at her kids and tells them to never let their father know how challenging things are right now.
Katie and her siblings also feel “in-between” in society as they are half-white thanks to their dad and half-black due to their mom. This “in-between” cultures also exists at their dad’s house where they are relegated to the basement after their dad marries Ning from Thailand. Katie wonders why there are two empty bedrooms upstairs at their dad’s but they have to sleep in the basement.
Students will be captivated by this gripping, true story that seems overwhelming at times. Katie’s experiences will be relatable to most readers as it deals with poverty, siblings, step-parents, divorce, first romance, friendship, and many other life issues. Thankfully, the story does end on a hopeful note even though there is no fairy godmother.
November 30, 2022
I love the NIV format! The intensity of emotions are magnified when authors have to carefully select each and every word so that exactly the right one is used. The lyric smoothness flows quickly as readers move from one significant chapter to the next, no words wasted, and when the end finally arrives, it is often so perfect!
“I’ve found that the in-between doesn’t have to be
the very end of the world and that sometimes, we
just have to keep going and face what scares us,
including ourselves, especially ourselves, because
sometimes, that’s all you can do.
I’ve found that all things eventually fall apart, in time,
even me, especially me, no matter how well-packed—
and that’s okay, because it leaves space for better
things to come together.”
Young Katie has spent the last half of her life moving, sometimes planned moves and sometimes fast, get-out-of-Dodge type moves. Food is often scare and this last move has her living in one room of an Extended Stay Hotel, wondering if things will get better or if this is part of an ever-increasing downward spiral. Readers who have been homeless, had parents who just couldn’t find work, or experienced divorce will see themselves throughout this memoir and those who have not experienced any of those things will hopefully get a sense of what it might be like. Great choices for grades 5 and up, including those who normally read from the YA stacks. Outstanding book that always has a thread of hope, even when Katie’s life does not seem like it should have any. Librarians and care-givers should advise readers against skipping the author’s note that shows that sometimes hope can blossom into a wonderful reality. No violence or sexual content. The two instances of the word “hell” are used in a purposeful way.
Thanks for the print arc, Simon & Schuster/Aladdin Books.
“I’ve found that the in-between doesn’t have to be
the very end of the world and that sometimes, we
just have to keep going and face what scares us,
including ourselves, especially ourselves, because
sometimes, that’s all you can do.
I’ve found that all things eventually fall apart, in time,
even me, especially me, no matter how well-packed—
and that’s okay, because it leaves space for better
things to come together.”
Young Katie has spent the last half of her life moving, sometimes planned moves and sometimes fast, get-out-of-Dodge type moves. Food is often scare and this last move has her living in one room of an Extended Stay Hotel, wondering if things will get better or if this is part of an ever-increasing downward spiral. Readers who have been homeless, had parents who just couldn’t find work, or experienced divorce will see themselves throughout this memoir and those who have not experienced any of those things will hopefully get a sense of what it might be like. Great choices for grades 5 and up, including those who normally read from the YA stacks. Outstanding book that always has a thread of hope, even when Katie’s life does not seem like it should have any. Librarians and care-givers should advise readers against skipping the author’s note that shows that sometimes hope can blossom into a wonderful reality. No violence or sexual content. The two instances of the word “hell” are used in a purposeful way.
Thanks for the print arc, Simon & Schuster/Aladdin Books.
February 20, 2024
Knowing that this is a memoir in verse makes it a perfect readalike to Rex Ogle's books- where his focused on the hopefulness of life with a tumultuous mother, abuse, and food insecurity, Katie's is about housing insecurity coupled with food insecurity as they move for six weeks (though they don't know how long it will be) into an Extended Stay hotel because her mother lost their job and cannot live with the grandmother nor will she relinquish custody of the children to live with the father who has remarried and lives in a lovely house with rooms and plenty of food because she's afraid she'll never get her kids back.
The daily life of living in cramped quarters with a family while trying to concentrate on school while not actually talking about what's happening (going without food for dinner, driving in and out of the city for school since they don't close by any more, hearing her mother crying in desperation, etc.)
It's a reminder, as a public school employee, that student struggles may be apparent and others aren't so much. We must support all of our students.
Reflective verse makes it hit home like Grimes' Ordinary Hazards too as another readalike in addition to Genesis Begins Again and the fact that she includes photos of her family brings another layer of realism to the memoir in verse and a beautiful touch to connect with readers.
The daily life of living in cramped quarters with a family while trying to concentrate on school while not actually talking about what's happening (going without food for dinner, driving in and out of the city for school since they don't close by any more, hearing her mother crying in desperation, etc.)
It's a reminder, as a public school employee, that student struggles may be apparent and others aren't so much. We must support all of our students.
Reflective verse makes it hit home like Grimes' Ordinary Hazards too as another readalike in addition to Genesis Begins Again and the fact that she includes photos of her family brings another layer of realism to the memoir in verse and a beautiful touch to connect with readers.
July 6, 2023
“The library is a safe space…And if I can’t that at home, I know I can at least find it at the library.”
🏨
Katie and her family move a lot. Sometimes with warning, sometimes not. It’s the early 2000’s and Katie, her younger brother, sister and mom return to their apartment to find the electricity has been turned off and it’s time to move again. They end up staying at an Extended Stay Motel while Katie’s mom looks for work and every other weekend they visit their father and his new wife in the suburbs. As Katie tries to navigate 7th grade, friendships, a relationship, her siblings and parents, she’s also trying to survive in this world of the in-between.
🏨
I had the honor of talking to @katiethatlady at #alaac23 a few weeks ago and was able to get a copy of her debut MG book and I devoured it tonight. This novel in verse is not fiction—it’s a memoir of a time in Katie’s life that happens to many of our students in schools across America. At my campus we house the students from Connections who are homeless and it’s can be a revolving door every week of new kids who are with us for who knows how long. I hope they feel about the library like Katie did in her book. Thank you for this gift. I can’t wait to share it with students when we return in the fall.
CW: homelessness, food insecurity, car accident (recounted), hospitalization, depression, smoking
🏨
Katie and her family move a lot. Sometimes with warning, sometimes not. It’s the early 2000’s and Katie, her younger brother, sister and mom return to their apartment to find the electricity has been turned off and it’s time to move again. They end up staying at an Extended Stay Motel while Katie’s mom looks for work and every other weekend they visit their father and his new wife in the suburbs. As Katie tries to navigate 7th grade, friendships, a relationship, her siblings and parents, she’s also trying to survive in this world of the in-between.
🏨
I had the honor of talking to @katiethatlady at #alaac23 a few weeks ago and was able to get a copy of her debut MG book and I devoured it tonight. This novel in verse is not fiction—it’s a memoir of a time in Katie’s life that happens to many of our students in schools across America. At my campus we house the students from Connections who are homeless and it’s can be a revolving door every week of new kids who are with us for who knows how long. I hope they feel about the library like Katie did in her book. Thank you for this gift. I can’t wait to share it with students when we return in the fall.
CW: homelessness, food insecurity, car accident (recounted), hospitalization, depression, smoking
December 28, 2023
The author recounts the 6 weeks her mom, her brother, and her sister lived in a motel. The family has had long moves that they knew were coming and could pack carefully, and they have had short moves, but none as short as this where they leave with less than 24-hour notice. Katie tries to be the bridge between her mom and her siblings by being overly supportive, but she's just a young teenager. Their lives are jostled around as they go to their dad's house every other weekend, where he lives in the suburbs with his new wife and extra bedrooms but frugality and window shopping are the guiding principles. I love the part where she thinks about the difference living in a motel non-stop as this in-between place versus possibly going on this Washington D.C. trip where she would stay in a motel/hotel. It's a powerful memoir that reminded me of the impact I felt after reading Starfish, which is a very different topic, but another one where verse helps the narrative. Grown-ups, kids notice more than you think. Be up front and don't hide it from them.
September 11, 2023
Got this book from the library based on a review I read. The fact that it is a memoir set the tone from the start. The author is a former social studies teacher and is currently an assistant principal. She wrote a beautiful book about her life’s experiences. I highly recommend it.
I love that she escaped from her reality through reading books. She also loved to write. Here’s a line about her teacher that will stick with me next time I’m grading a student’s writing:
“Her pristine writing is roses next to that which she approves of
And thorns next to the snarky comments she reflects back at me…”
A great reminder to me, as a teacher, that I may only know a fraction of what a student is experiencing in life outside of school.
“After all,
the world doesn’t stop spinning
just because your world currently makes no sense,
just because you’re currently holed up in a hotel
and struggling to find time and space to think.”
I love that she escaped from her reality through reading books. She also loved to write. Here’s a line about her teacher that will stick with me next time I’m grading a student’s writing:
“Her pristine writing is roses next to that which she approves of
And thorns next to the snarky comments she reflects back at me…”
A great reminder to me, as a teacher, that I may only know a fraction of what a student is experiencing in life outside of school.
“After all,
the world doesn’t stop spinning
just because your world currently makes no sense,
just because you’re currently holed up in a hotel
and struggling to find time and space to think.”
January 14, 2023
I'm glad I picked up this book. Although I don't often read verse, memoirs, or middle grade titles, I enjoyed this one a lot.
LIKED: I enjoyed Katie's writing style. It was easy to follow, and very impactful. It was lyrical without trying to hard, and without being insufferable like I've found so many stories in verse can be.
DISLIKED: I wish there was a little bit more time to explore the other characters, like her siblings. We mostly learn about Katie and her mom, which makes sense because they're the main characters, but I'd still like to learn more about them.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and think it's a great one to read no matter your age. As someone who hasn't moved a whole bunch, it's been insightful to see inside the life of someone who has.
LIKED: I enjoyed Katie's writing style. It was easy to follow, and very impactful. It was lyrical without trying to hard, and without being insufferable like I've found so many stories in verse can be.
DISLIKED: I wish there was a little bit more time to explore the other characters, like her siblings. We mostly learn about Katie and her mom, which makes sense because they're the main characters, but I'd still like to learn more about them.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and think it's a great one to read no matter your age. As someone who hasn't moved a whole bunch, it's been insightful to see inside the life of someone who has.
April 3, 2024
Van Heidrich paints a picture of her experience as a child with divorced parents, a mom struggling to find financial stability, a stepmom, and all the emotions that come with it. This pulls at the heartstrings as Katie tries to navigate all the emotions she has inside as she looks at her current situation and what brought her family to this place.
If you have ever had the experiences Van Heidrich writes about, you will identify with her words. If you haven't, you will be given a glimpse into the struggles that can be so challenging for children and adults to figure out.
Thank you, Katie for writing about this sliver of your life! You are helping many see they are not alone and helping everyone else have more compassion toward those of us who find ourselves in these shoes.
If you have ever had the experiences Van Heidrich writes about, you will identify with her words. If you haven't, you will be given a glimpse into the struggles that can be so challenging for children and adults to figure out.
Thank you, Katie for writing about this sliver of your life! You are helping many see they are not alone and helping everyone else have more compassion toward those of us who find ourselves in these shoes.
March 18, 2023
Katie works through the uncertainty of their frequent moves, mom’s job losses, her parents’ divorce, handling school when they’ve moved out of district due to being evicted (no McKenney-Vento Act back then), and other middle school angst which is magnified when yours homeless.
The family’s troubles are all magnified due to her mom’s up and down job situation along with some undiagnosed/untreated mental health issues. Katie tries to hold everything together as the oldest and most responsible. Her siblings deal in their own ways—brother clams up and turn contemplative while younger sister puts it all out there demanding answers.
The family’s troubles are all magnified due to her mom’s up and down job situation along with some undiagnosed/untreated mental health issues. Katie tries to hold everything together as the oldest and most responsible. Her siblings deal in their own ways—brother clams up and turn contemplative while younger sister puts it all out there demanding answers.
June 15, 2023
Dealing with parenting your parents is something I am very familiar with as is the author of this book. It's never easy to deal with issues as a child that are supposed to be taken care of by adults but the strong do survive. I liked the honest expression of ideas - even though most of it was in the author's head because speaking up would not help to create the calm everyone needed - until the limit was finally reached. In-betweens are tough no matter what is happening but some are lonelier and more trouble than others. The attitude and belief in the future is what can make the difference.
July 16, 2023
I cannot stop thinking about this book.
- - - - -
“But again, as the night goes on and everyone starts to climb into bed; when the lights are switched off and I’m still sitting here at this tiny desk still working, I am reminded that I whole-heartedly believe that there should absolutely, positively be a rule against doing homework when you have hard stuff going on at home. Better yet, there should absolutely, positively be a rule against doing homework when you don’t have a home to begin with.”
“The world doesn’t stop spinning just because your world currently makes no sense.”
*In the struggle, lies the joy.*
- - - - -
“But again, as the night goes on and everyone starts to climb into bed; when the lights are switched off and I’m still sitting here at this tiny desk still working, I am reminded that I whole-heartedly believe that there should absolutely, positively be a rule against doing homework when you have hard stuff going on at home. Better yet, there should absolutely, positively be a rule against doing homework when you don’t have a home to begin with.”
“The world doesn’t stop spinning just because your world currently makes no sense.”
*In the struggle, lies the joy.*
July 17, 2023
3.5 stars for this memoir in verse for ages 9-13. The verse is very well-written, thoughtful, emotional. The stars are for how much I enjoyed reading it. This book is very valuable reading to understand someone going through hard times and going to school, trying to act like everything is normal. Though not unsheltered, 3 children and their mom are in one room. The author was 13, and the book is from 6 weeks. Since it's memoir, there's not big plot happenings or someone saving the day. It's a quick read, and very insightful. This probably takes place in the early 2000s, there are photos in the back.
March 11, 2024
3.5 stars
This is a memoir written in verse. Katie, her brother, and sister move frequently - sometimes with very little notice. This time they end up in an extended stay hotel. They still spend every other weekend with their dad and his new wife. When he tries to help by giving them groceries, their mom gets really angry. There are other odd things at their dad's house, though, like they all sleep on a pull out couch in the den when there are two empty bedrooms upstairs that they are not allowed to ever use. Biracial family. CW for those who are housing challenged but eye opening for those who take living situations for-granted.
This is a memoir written in verse. Katie, her brother, and sister move frequently - sometimes with very little notice. This time they end up in an extended stay hotel. They still spend every other weekend with their dad and his new wife. When he tries to help by giving them groceries, their mom gets really angry. There are other odd things at their dad's house, though, like they all sleep on a pull out couch in the den when there are two empty bedrooms upstairs that they are not allowed to ever use. Biracial family. CW for those who are housing challenged but eye opening for those who take living situations for-granted.
March 11, 2023
Middle grade memoir told in verse. I think lots of readers will be able to Katie’s feelings of “in-between” moments in her life….
•In-between parents, shuttling back and forth from mom’s care to dad’s.
•In-between relationships, navigating feelings for a boy and a friend who knows his true ways
•In-between siblings who don’t shoulder the responsibilities that she does
•In-between homes, living at a motel with Mom and her siblings, wondering if living with Dad full time would be the better choice
Full of resilience and hope!
•In-between parents, shuttling back and forth from mom’s care to dad’s.
•In-between relationships, navigating feelings for a boy and a friend who knows his true ways
•In-between siblings who don’t shoulder the responsibilities that she does
•In-between homes, living at a motel with Mom and her siblings, wondering if living with Dad full time would be the better choice
Full of resilience and hope!
August 27, 2023
One of the best metaphors ever:
p. 132: ... sometimes, / an eagle will lose its life clinging to that / which it wants most to hold, / long after it's become apparent that letting go / would ensure survival.
Would have liked more detail on why Mom had trouble staying employed, if she had enough experience to be up for an SVP job at a PR firm.
p. 210: I once heard / that if everyone put their problems in a big pile, / everyone would rush to take back their own / once they saw what everyone else / was dealing with.
p. 132: ... sometimes, / an eagle will lose its life clinging to that / which it wants most to hold, / long after it's become apparent that letting go / would ensure survival.
Would have liked more detail on why Mom had trouble staying employed, if she had enough experience to be up for an SVP job at a PR firm.
p. 210: I once heard / that if everyone put their problems in a big pile, / everyone would rush to take back their own / once they saw what everyone else / was dealing with.
September 29, 2023
Reading 2023
Book 163: The In-Between: A Memoir in Verse by Katie Van Heidrich
An example of finding those gems, books written in verse. This memoir is reviewed for middle grade readers and up. Book 26 in #30booksin30days
Quick Take: When you are 13 and you have to move around a lot, your family is split apart, you are between real homes, and all you want is to fit in with your peers, life is hard. So, it is for 13 year old Katie. This memoir is raw in its explanation of her feelings towards her tough situation. Being 13 is hard enough without all the drama. My rating 4⭐️.
Book 163: The In-Between: A Memoir in Verse by Katie Van Heidrich
An example of finding those gems, books written in verse. This memoir is reviewed for middle grade readers and up. Book 26 in #30booksin30days
Quick Take: When you are 13 and you have to move around a lot, your family is split apart, you are between real homes, and all you want is to fit in with your peers, life is hard. So, it is for 13 year old Katie. This memoir is raw in its explanation of her feelings towards her tough situation. Being 13 is hard enough without all the drama. My rating 4⭐️.
May 20, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for this memoir in verse. Set in early 2000s Atlanta, Katie and her siblings suffer housing and food insecurity as their mother, who dreams big, loses her job and they lose their home. They spend weekends with their father in his home that has extra rooms, making Katie wonder why they don’t live with him, and pondering what would be better for her and her siblings. It really made me reflect on what students can be experiencing outside of the time we see them at school. This is an important story for middle school readers to experience. Highly recommend for grades 6-8.
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