The Infinite Noise

July 1, 2019

Gr 7 Up-A spin-off of the popular podcast The Bright Sessions, this touching and emotional novel expands on the story of Dr. Bright's youngest patient, 16-year-old Caleb. High school used to be easy-Caleb was a pretty good student and a star football player. But it got a lot harder when he learned he's an Atypical with an enhanced ability to sense and experience the emotions of those around him. It sounds great to be a superhero, but Caleb's power isn't so super. His trouble controlling negative emotions like anger and fear have led to fights and an inability to concentrate in class. Luckily, he has Dr. Bright, a therapist who works with Atypicals. She encourages Caleb to befriend Adam, a classmate whose emotions fit in with Caleb's rather than overwhelming them. Alternating between Caleb's and Adam's points of view, the narrative approaches mental health, romance, and emotion with vivid language and strong voices. Though Shippen incorporates fantastical elements, she focuses on the inner lives of her characters, giving only the necessary world-building, making this an ideal crossover book to move readers between realistic romance and speculative fiction. Fans of the podcast will revel in this closer look at the lives of the characters, and readers new to the franchise will drop into this world without missing a beat. VERDICT Give this to fans of the podcast, as well as readers who enjoy Becky Albertalli's Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda, Rainbow Rowell's work, and Welcome to Night Vale. A first purchase for libraries that can't keep romance or superpower books on the shelves.-Heather Waddell, Abbot Public Library, Marblehead, MA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 15, 2019
High school football player Caleb is drawn to his sad, bookish classmate Adam, who is an island of calm in an ocean of other people's emotions. Caleb is the quintessential handsome, popular athlete, but he's dealing with an unusual problem: He has the supernatural power of feeling others' emotions. Sure enough, high school is a stressful place for someone with such a power, and Adam is the only person at school whose emotional presence helps Caleb bear the onslaught of teenage feelings. Adam, who is Jewish, has a huge crush on Caleb but doesn't dare hope that Caleb feels the same way about him. Meanwhile, Caleb understands everyone's feelings but his own. Shippen's debut novel is a fluttery, insightful teen romance told in both boys' voices, filled to the brim with feelings but sidestepping melodrama and coming-out angst. The author gives emotions form, texture, and color, taking readers along on Adam's and Caleb's journeys while remembering that a boyfriend is not an antidote to life's supernatural--or mundane--problems. Though the author touches on several unresolved plotlines from her science-fiction podcast, The Bright Sessions, especially in the second half, the novel is strong enough to stand alone for those who have never listened to it. Caleb is white; dark-skinned Adam's father is Jewish. A warm, satisfying love story with depth. (Science fiction. 13-adult)

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October 28, 2019
Two teenage boys find a special connection in this YA romance debut with connections to the author’s sci-fi podcast. Caleb doesn’t know why he feels so overwhelmed at school, but after he snaps and gets into a fight, a special therapist helps him recognize his superhuman ability to feel others’ emotions. Keeping his secret and taming his own feelings aren’t easy, but both feel manageable when he’s around Adam, a classmate who, despite his own struggles with depression, helps to drown out the chaos and soothe Caleb’s frazzled nerves. As the two grow closer, Caleb has to sort out whether the attraction he feels is his own first same-sex attraction or simply a reflection of Adam’s feelings for him. The teens’ mental-health struggles are portrayed with veracity and compassion, as is the development of their relationship. Though any teen open to gay romance might enjoy this novel, it will have particular resonance with those who have experienced depression or emotional overloads. Ages 13–up.

August 1, 2019
Grades 9-12 Derived from the author's popular sf podcast, The Bright Sessions, this debut novel tells the compelling story of high-schoolers Caleb and Adam. A golden boy, Caleb is a handsome, sensitive football star but, more important, he is an Atypical, an empath who feels other peoples' sometimes suffocating emotions. Being in a crowd is agony for him. Indeed, the only person he grows to feel comfortable around is classmate Adam?self-hating, self-injuring, gay, depressive Adam. From being virtual strangers, the two lonely boys become friends and then fall in love. Or do they? For Caleb isn't sure if the emotions he is feeling are his or Adam's. Furthermore, a secret is revealed about Adam's neuroscientist parents that threatens to end the boys' growing relationship altogether. Shippen does a superb job of handling a swirl of complex emotions, ranging from subtle to fiery as the boys struggle to complete each other and share their differences. This dramatic story is the first in a planned trilogy set to delve into the lives of other Bright Sessions characters.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)