The Memory of Things

The Memory of Things

• Genre: Fiction; young adult contemporary
• Originally Published: 2016
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 680L; grades 7-12
• Structure/Length: 8 parts; 37 chapters; approximately 278 pages; approximately 6 hours, 47 minutes on audio
• Protagonist/Central Conflict: On the morning of September 11, 2001, as the World Trade Center collapses, 16-year-old Kyle Donohue rescues a girl covered in ash and wearing costume wings who has lost her memory. The central conflict revolves around Kyle’s attempt to help the girl remember who she is while dealing with his own family’s crisis and the collective trauma of the city around them.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Terrorism; depiction of a national tragedy; emotional trauma and loss; the events of 9/11; mentions of potential suicide; mentions of death of parents; mentions of genocide and rape; profanity in dialogue and interior monologue

Gae Polisner, Author

• Bio: Born 1964; American author known for her young adult novels; often explores complex emotional landscapes, dealing with themes of grief, loss, and the journey toward understanding and healing
• Other Works: The Pull of Gravity (2011); The Summer of Letting Go (2014); In Sight of Stars (2018)

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide:

• The Many Forms of Courage
• The Ephemerality of Life
• The Function and Complexity of Memory