Hazel's Theory of Evolution

Winner of the Lambda Literary Award!

The Thing About Jellyfish meets Raymie Nightingale in this tender middle grade novel from Lisa Jenn Bigelow, acclaimed author of Drum Roll, Please.

Hazel knows a lot about the world. That's because when she's not hanging with her best friend, taking care of her dog, or helping care for the goats on her family's farm, she loves reading through dusty encyclopedias.

But even Hazel doesn't have answers for the questions awaiting her as she enters eighth grade. What if no one at her new school gets her, and she doesn't make any friends? What's going to happen to one of her moms, who's pregnant again after having two miscarriages? Why does everything have to change when life was already perfectly fine?

As Hazel struggles to cope, she'll come to realize that sometimes you have to look within yourself--instead of the pages of a book--to find the answer to life's most important questions.

This Lambda Literary Award-winning novel is a thoughtful and honest look at the things we can't learn from books.

• A Heartfelt Coming of Age Story: Hazel has always found comfort in facts, but eighth grade brings questions about friendship, family, and change that no encyclopedia can answer.
• A Loving LGBTQ Family: As one of her moms prepares for a new baby after heartbreaking losses, Hazel has to navigate her own complex feelings of hope and fear.
• Making New Friends: Feeling lost without her best friend, Hazel meets Carina and Yosh, two kids who show her that friendship can be found in the most unexpected places.
• Navigating Grief and Loss: This gentle and honest story tackles big emotions with sensitivity, perfect for readers who love character-driven novels about finding your place in the world.