Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Wendy Mass has written over 30 books for young readers, her work often engages with contemporary social issues while centering individual coming-of-age stories as her protagonist's journey toward understanding, growth, and self-acceptance. Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life brings these themes to life with its many characters of all ages, and Mass explores such topics in different ways throughout her body of work. One of her most noteworthy books, Every Soul a Star (2009), considers many of the same ideas explored in Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life through a wider lens. Told through alternating perspectives, Every Soul a Star brings together a girl who wants more from life, a popular girl who thinks she has it all, and a shy boy who, like Jeremy, misses his father. Their paths cross in a secluded environment away from technology, presenting an ideal chance for them to learn about one another and themselves. Through their shared viewing of an eclipse, Mass brings the reader through the insecurities, hopes, and dreams of these three kids, offering a tale that speaks to readers of all ages. Mass tackles similar topics in her other books, including Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall (the tale of a teenage girl who must find what makes life worthwhile), A Mango-Shaped Space (about a girl who sees sounds in color and must learn that this does not make her a freak), and 11 Birthdays (in which a girl relives her 11th birthday over and over until she learns the truth of what tore her and her best friend apart).