The Science of Being Angry by Nicole Melleby

I adored this book, am so glad it exists, and cannot wait to see what Melleby will write next. And I also love and appreciate that there isn’t an answer in the end for why Joey is so angry all the time, just the hope and promise of working on that anger and learning new coping strategies so she can handle the anger in a healthier way. And seeing a preteen navigating those feelings, struggling with words and self-expression, hits me so hard. Joey often feels wrong and knows she’s been mean, and often feels like she just gets angrier and angrier, but at the end of the day, hurting those she loves is the very last thing she wants to do.

I love Joey’s journey of figuring herself out, or at least working towards new understanding of herself, the complexities of her interpersonal relationships, with her triplets, with her moms, with her best friend/crush Layla, with her brother Benny, and seeing her working on those relationships. Joey is such a relatable character on that front, even as her experiences as a triplet, as the daughter of two moms, as a product of in vitro fertilization don’t line up with my own experiences. The Science of Being Angry is no different, and especially hits me as a child who struggled with anger and lashing out when the feelings got bigger than could be contained. I’ve been obsessed with Melleby’s books since I read In the Role of Brie Hutchens… and every time I fall more in love with her stories and characters.

Does she lose control because of something she inherited from the donor her mothers chose? The Science of Being Angry is a heartwarming story about what makes a family and what makes us who we are from an author whose works are highly praised for their presentation of and insights into the emotional lives of tweens.I do not know how to put into words how much this book means, but it hits me so hard in the feelings. A new unit in science class makes her wonder if the reason is genetics. After a meltdown at Joey's apartment building leads to her family's eviction, Joey is desperate to figure out why she's so mad. Or when jealousy made her push her (former) best friend (and crush), Layla, a little bit too roughly. But sometimes she loses her temper and lashes out, like the time she threw a soccer ball - hard - at a boy in gym class and bruised his collarbone.

She has two loving moms, a supportive older half brother, and, as a triplet, she's never without company. From the acclaimed author of Hurricane Season, an unforgettable story about what makes a family, for fans of Hazel's Theory of Evolution and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World.

The Science of Being Angry by Nicole Melleby