Thirteen-year-old Stewart Inkster is academically brilliant but "ungifted" socially. Fourteen-year-old Ashley Anderson is the undisputed "It" girl of grade nine, but her marks stink. Their worlds are about to collide when Stewart and his dad move in with Ashley and her mom. "The Brady Bunch" it isn't. Stewart is trying to be 89.9% happy about it, but Ashley is 110% horrified. She already has to hide the truth behind her parents' divorce; "Spewart" could further threaten her position at the top of the social ladder. They are complete opposites. And yet, no matter their differences, they share one thing in common: they--like the rest of us--are all made of molecules. Written in alternating voices, Susin Nielsen deftly explores family tragedy and family ties; sibling rivalry and union; and adolescent confusion and revelation.
WINNER
| 2015 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards
NOMINEE
| 2017 Rocky Mountain Book Award
LONGLIST
| 2017 Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award
NOMINEE
| 2016 Georgia Peach Book Award
FINALIST
| 2016 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize
FINALIST
| 2016 Snow Willow Award
HONOR
| 2016 CLA Book of the Year for Young Adults
SHORTLIST
| 2016 Canadian Library Association - Young Adult Canadian Book Award
LONGLIST
| 2016 Carnegie Medal
LONGLIST
| 2016 OLA Best Bets for Young Adult Fiction
FINALIST
| 2015 Governor General's Literary Award
On Canadian Children’s Book Centre YA January Reading List 2019 One of CBC's Best Summer Reads for Children and Teens, 2015
PRAISE FOR We Are All Made of Molecules:
“This savvy, insightful take on the modern family makes for nearly nonstop laughs.” --Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
“Drama, humour, poignancy, and suspense are rarely found in such perfect proportions as in Governor General’s Literary Award–winner Susin Nielsen’s new novel about a teen odd couple forced together in a blended family situation. . . . We Are All Made of Molecules is chockablock with timely and weighty issues, yet it feels feather-light thanks in large part to some truly funny writing. Teens will be so busy turning pages they won’t even realize they’re thinking. This is stellar, top-notch stuff.” --Starred Review, Quill & Quire
“Stewart's analytical perspective and Ashley's sarcastic narration are as different as they are entertaining.” --Publisher’s Weekly
“By turns humorous and heartbreaking[,] . . . the contrast between the two characters makes for a compelling read, particularly as they begin to challenge and influence each other. . . . The book will appeal to fans of R.J. Palacio’s Wonder and Jo Knowles’s See You at Harry’s. . . . This work of realistic fiction should find a place in most libraries serving teens.” --School Library Journal
“[N]o one–-absolutely no one-–captures the lovable flaws of the pubescent human creature like Susin Nielsen. . . . A joyful, effortless read with some squeal-worthy moments for Nielsen fans who will recognize character cameos from past books.” --The Globe and Mail
“This is the first day I’ve written in a diary. The reason I am, is ‘cos I love writing stories, and if I do grow up to be a famous writer, and later die, and they want to get a story of my life ... I guess I should keep (one).” SUSIN NIELSEN wrote this poorly constructed sentence when she was eleven years old. And while she isn’t exactly famous (although she likes to think she’s ‘Big in Belgium’), and no one has written the story of her life (maybe because she isn’t dead yet), she did predict her future. She got her start writing for the hit TV series Degrassi Junior High, and went on to write for over twenty Canadian shows. More recently she turned her hand to novel writing. She is the author of five critically-acclaimed and award-winning titles, including Optimists Die First (long-listed for the UKLA 2018 award), We Are All Made of Molecules (winner of the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award and long-listed for UK’s Carnegie Medal), Word Nerd (winner of multiple Young Readers’ Choice Awards) and The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen (winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Canadian Library Association’s Children’s Book of the Year, and the UK Literacy Award). Rolling Stone magazine put The Reluctant Journal at #27 in their list of “Top 40 Best YA Novels.”
Nielsen has been called ‘The John Green of Canada’ (and she once had a dream that he had been called ‘The Susin Nielsen of the United States’). Her books have been translated into many languages. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her family and two naughty cats.
Thirteen-year-old Stewart Inkster is academically brilliant but "ungifted" socially. Fourteen-year-old Ashley Anderson is the undisputed "It" girl of grade nine, but her marks stink. Their worlds are about to collide when Stewart and his dad move in with Ashley and her mom. "The Brady Bunch" it isn't. Stewart is trying to be 89.9% happy about it, but Ashley is 110% horrified. She already has to hide the truth behind her parents' divorce; "Spewart" could further threaten her position at the top of the social ladder. They are complete opposites. And yet, no matter their differences, they share one thing in common: they--like the rest of us--are all made of molecules. Written in alternating voices, Susin Nielsen deftly explores family tragedy and family ties; sibling rivalry and union; and adolescent confusion and revelation.
Awards
WINNER
| 2015 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards
NOMINEE
| 2017 Rocky Mountain Book Award
LONGLIST
| 2017 Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award
NOMINEE
| 2016 Georgia Peach Book Award
FINALIST
| 2016 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize
FINALIST
| 2016 Snow Willow Award
HONOR
| 2016 CLA Book of the Year for Young Adults
SHORTLIST
| 2016 Canadian Library Association - Young Adult Canadian Book Award
LONGLIST
| 2016 Carnegie Medal
LONGLIST
| 2016 OLA Best Bets for Young Adult Fiction
FINALIST
| 2015 Governor General's Literary Award
Praise
On Canadian Children’s Book Centre YA January Reading List 2019 One of CBC's Best Summer Reads for Children and Teens, 2015
PRAISE FOR We Are All Made of Molecules:
“This savvy, insightful take on the modern family makes for nearly nonstop laughs.” --Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews
“Drama, humour, poignancy, and suspense are rarely found in such perfect proportions as in Governor General’s Literary Award–winner Susin Nielsen’s new novel about a teen odd couple forced together in a blended family situation. . . . We Are All Made of Molecules is chockablock with timely and weighty issues, yet it feels feather-light thanks in large part to some truly funny writing. Teens will be so busy turning pages they won’t even realize they’re thinking. This is stellar, top-notch stuff.” --Starred Review, Quill & Quire
“Stewart's analytical perspective and Ashley's sarcastic narration are as different as they are entertaining.” --Publisher’s Weekly
“By turns humorous and heartbreaking[,] . . . the contrast between the two characters makes for a compelling read, particularly as they begin to challenge and influence each other. . . . The book will appeal to fans of R.J. Palacio’s Wonder and Jo Knowles’s See You at Harry’s. . . . This work of realistic fiction should find a place in most libraries serving teens.” --School Library Journal
“[N]o one–-absolutely no one-–captures the lovable flaws of the pubescent human creature like Susin Nielsen. . . . A joyful, effortless read with some squeal-worthy moments for Nielsen fans who will recognize character cameos from past books.” --The Globe and Mail
“This is the first day I’ve written in a diary. The reason I am, is ‘cos I love writing stories, and if I do grow up to be a famous writer, and later die, and they want to get a story of my life ... I guess I should keep (one).” SUSIN NIELSEN wrote this poorly constructed sentence when she was eleven years old. And while she isn’t exactly famous (although she likes to think she’s ‘Big in Belgium’), and no one has written the story of her life (maybe because she isn’t dead yet), she did predict her future. She got her start writing for the hit TV series Degrassi Junior High, and went on to write for over twenty Canadian shows. More recently she turned her hand to novel writing. She is the author of five critically-acclaimed and award-winning titles, including Optimists Die First (long-listed for the UKLA 2018 award), We Are All Made of Molecules (winner of the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Award and long-listed for UK’s Carnegie Medal), Word Nerd (winner of multiple Young Readers’ Choice Awards) and The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen (winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award, the Canadian Library Association’s Children’s Book of the Year, and the UK Literacy Award). Rolling Stone magazine put The Reluctant Journal at #27 in their list of “Top 40 Best YA Novels.”
Nielsen has been called ‘The John Green of Canada’ (and she once had a dream that he had been called ‘The Susin Nielsen of the United States’). Her books have been translated into many languages. She lives in Vancouver, BC with her family and two naughty cats.
