In Counting Thyme by Melanie Conklin, Thyme’s life is basically thrown into upheaval as they move across the country to New York City so her little brother can be a part of a cancer trial. She leaves behind her best friend, her grandmother, and everything familiar, but keeps telling herself it’s so her brother will get better and it would only be temporary. Because she sees it as a temporary move, she doesn’t really settle in and find her way. With one foot in California and one foot in NYC, she doesn’t feel like she belongs anywhere. Trying to make friends is hard for her and her best friend in California seems to be moving on to other friends. Finally, when her little brother had a major health scare, she realizes that life is not only fragile, but what you make it, Thyme realizes she needs to adjust her attitude and make the best of their circumstances.

Counting Thyme is a novel that shows the raw emotion of what relatives go through when someone faces the diagnosis of cancer. How Thyme deals with everything seem real and relatable. But this novel also does a wonderful job addressing the complexities of middle school friendships and how to navigate hurt feelings, being new, and feeling different.

Content Analysis:

Profanity/Language:  1 religious exclamation. 

Violence/Gore:  None 

Sex/Nudity:  Boy and girl hold hands (2 times); boy kisses girl on the cheek.

Mature Subject Matter:

Cancer, death.

Alcohol / Drug Use:

None