The Losers at the Center of the Galaxy

Synopsis:

“A tuba player without a tuba and his jellyfish-imitating sister cope with their father’s disappearance in this hilarious and moving novel by the author of The Mortification of Fovea Munson. 

When Lenny Volpe, former quarterback of the worst professional football team in the nation, leaves his family and disappears, the Chicago Horribles win their first game in a long time. Fans are thrilled. The world seems to go back to normal. Except for the Volpe kids.

Winston throws himself into playing the tuba, and Louise starts secret experiments to find a cure for brain injuries, and they’re each fine, just fine, coping in their own way. That is, until the investigation of some eccentric teacher behavior and the discovery of a real live bear paraded as the Horribles’ new mascot make it clear that things are very much Not Fine. The siblings may just need each other, after all.”

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Review:

I read Mary Winn Heider’s previous work The Mortification of Fovea Munson and it was completely zany! It’s about a girl whose summer plans fall through which means she ends up spending more time at her parent’s cadaver lab. And while she’s there she meets some unexpected friends. Let’s just say that I expected nothing less from this book and I was right!

At the heart of the story, it’s about siblings dealing with grief, each in their own way. What Mary does so well is that she wraps all of that up into some absolutely indescribable events! Winston’s tuba is thrown off the school roof. He and his best friend may or may not be tailing teachers to find out why. Meanwhile, Louise started a science club at school. But only so that she could have access to all the equipment she needs to cure brain injuries with jellyfish. Throw in some unexpected friends, a real-life bear, a superstar named Kittentown Dynamo, and you’re in for a treat.

Mary is an expert at taking a serious subject matter like brain injury and grief and address it without making a book feel too heavy or an “issues” book. This book is filled with hysterical situations you will never expect! But, it’s also filled with heart and Mary finds that balance perfectly.

Verdict:

If you’re looking for a book about sports, science, music, loss, friendship, and family – this is the one for you!

If you’re interested in purchasing The Losers at the Center of the Galaxy by Mary Winn Heider, please use my affiliate links for Bookshop.org or Amazon.com. When you purchase from either of these links, I will earn a commission as an affiliate.

Need to Know:

Title: The Losers at the Center of the Galaxy
Author: Mary Winn Heider
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 16, 2021
Page Number: 304 pgs.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.