For Ages
12 to 99

A beautifully realistic, relatable story about mental health and the healing powers of art—perfect for fans of Girl in Pieces and How It Feels to Float.

It's been three months since the Night on the Bathroom Floor—when Lily found her older sister Alice hurting herself. Ever since then, Lily has been desperately trying to keep things together, for herself and for her family. But now Alice is coming home from her treatment program, and it is becoming harder for Lily to ignore all of the feelings she's been trying to outrun.

Enter Micah, a new student at school with a past of his own. He was in treatment with Alice and seems determined to get Lily to process not only Alice's experience, but her own. Because Lily has secrets, too. Compulsions she can't seem to let go of and thoughts she can't drown out.

When Lily and Micah embark on an art project for school involving finding poetry in unexpected places, she realizes that it's the words she's been swallowing that desperately want to break through.

An Excerpt fromThe Words We Keep

prologue

I find my sister’s hand beneath the waves.

“I’m scared.” My voice is small, carried away by the water—and so am I.

The ocean tugs me farther. We’re too far.

But Alice reaches out to me.

“Take my hand,” she says. “We’re on an adventure.”

And because I’m six and she’s my much wiser and braver eight-year-old sister, I believe her. I let her convince me we’re deep-sea explorers, returning from an expedition. I let her lead me, even though salt water fills my mouth, my ears, my everything.

We fight against the waves, hand in hand.

And then I’m on the sand. Dad’s swearing. He’s pounding on my back. He’s yelling my name so loudly, it hurts my head.

Lily. Lily. Lily.

I’m choking, spitting out the ocean.

Dad falls to his knees, and he’s hugging us, so tight I almost pop, and we’re huddled on the beach, and he’s crying, and I think they’re happy tears, but it’s hard to tell.

“It’s okay, Dad,” I say, my voice stronger on land. “We…

Under the Cover