Everything's Not Lost
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- Pre-Order
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- Expected 20 Oct 2026
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- 7,99 €
Publisher Description
A heart-wrenching yet vividly hopeful novel about a Black girl's struggle to find the quiet beauty in life and friendship amid the chaos of grief and mental illness by New York Times, USA Today, and Indie bestselling author Frederick Joseph.
"Frederick is such a grounded and beautiful voice of not just this moment but all the moments. Everything's Not Lost cements him firmly as a much needed and stunning voice inside the world of YA literature." —Jacqueline Woodson, winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award
As a sixteen-year-old Black girl with bipolar disorder, Ella Washington has plenty stacked against her. But following her beloved sister’s unexpected death and its turbulent aftermath, Ella is desperate to find any sense of normalcy. Worse still, someone at her school is determined to drive her deeper into despair.
It feels nearly impossible to find her way out of the fog of grief and loneliness, but through her love of art, some unlikely new friends, and the memory of her sister, Ella slowly learns that the pursuit of happiness and forgiveness is an endeavor that is more than worthwhile.
Told in Frederick Joseph’s perceptive and lyrical voice, Everything’s Not Lost is an achingly relatable story about finding points of light even in the darkest of times.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Joseph (This Thing of Ours) offers an affirming story about a bipolar teen navigating loss. Though Black 16-year-old Ella Washington has been managing her bipolar disorder for years, she fears that the death of her older sister, Maya, will send her into a spiral. Ella becomes the subject of scrutiny when, overwhelmed by grief and anger, she physically assaults a classmate who disparaged Maya's memory, an incident that leaves the other girl hospitalized and jeopardizes Ella's academic future. As anonymous harassment intensifies and her overprotective parents consider homeschooling her, Ella struggles to navigate a world that feels increasingly hostile and uncertain. Relief arrives in the form of new friend Binh, who is 18 and Vietnamese American, and an unexpected bond with Maya's ex-boyfriend, Cory, both of whom help Ella feel seen and understood. Attentive language considers the intersections of Black identity and mental health conditions. Compassionate depictions of group therapy and Ella's robust support network—including her parents, therapist, and art teacher Ms. Patel, who shares her experience with bipolar disorder—help the protagonist recognize that healing does not require facing hardship alone. It all coalesces in an unflinching and impassioned portrayal of a teenager learning to live alongside grief. Ages 14–up.
