48 pages • 1 hour read
Rebecca SteadThe List of Things That Will Not Change
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2020A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Authorial Context: Rebecca Stead
Rebecca Stead grew up in New York City, which is where many of her novels take place. Although she always wanted to be a writer and enjoyed reading growing up, she chose the path of becoming a lawyer instead. Rebecca was inspired to write again after having two children and remembering what it was like to experience those years. Rebecca’s writing touches on sensitive topics like divorce, LGBTQ+ and blended families, and the intricacies of human relationships. Rather than presenting fantastical versions of families and their lives, she is honest with her young readers about difficult concepts like the fact that family may sometimes betray them or fail to accept who they are. Having stories that present these facts without fear makes readers feel less alone in experiencing similar things. Rebecca Stead’s novels range from realistic fiction to science fiction and mystery. The List of Things That Will Not Change stands out because rather than relying on a linear plot, it provides glimpses into key moments in Bea’s life and asks the reader to piece together their importance.
Social Context: Child Counseling
After her parents’ divorce, Bea goes to see Miriam, a therapist who helps her navigate her emotions and the changes that she and her family are experiencing. Having a safe, judgment-free space to express one’s feelings is helpful for children like Bea, who may act out with anger or feel sad and lonely after a divorce. Counseling helps the children of divorced parents understand the situation, cope with changes, and develop resilience and confidence that may have been lost. It might be difficult to be fully open about emotions to family, particularly parents, during a divorce, because a child may not want to burden their parents, may worry their emotions are invalid, or may blame themselves for the divorce. Therapy for children comes in many forms, but Bea’s therapist focused on behavior and emotional understanding along with divorce counselling. Bea’s tendency to lash out physically when angry caused guilt that could only be resolved with understanding and acceptance. For Bea and children like her, a wide variety of factors can lead to emotions like anger and sadness, such as the temporary chaos in adjusting to a new situation and witnessing sadness or anger in their parents. By taking Bea to therapy, her parents attempted to ensure that the divorce would not have a permanent negative effect on Bea’s life and would instead ultimately make her stronger.
Social Context: Blended and LGBTQ+ Families
In Bea’s world, she has two families: one is a blended LGBTQ+ family with her dad, Jesse, and Sonia, and the other is her family with her mother and father—the family she grew up with. When Bea’s parents divorce, she has to learn to navigate these two worlds, and becomes a spokesperson for diversity and acceptance as she witnesses the unconditional love between her dad and Jesse. Bea and Jesse both experience discrimination, in part because of the divorce, and in part because Jesse and Daniel are gay. Despite the fact that 114,000 LGBTQ+ parents (almost 25% of LGBTQ+ couples) are currently raising children in the United States (Goldberg, Shoshana K., and Kerith J. Conron. “How Many Same-Sex Couples in the US Are Raising Children?” Williams Institute, July 2018), it remains a topic of controversy and prejudice toward these families remains present in their daily lives. Including stories that feature LGBTQ+ families and the reality that sometimes these families are born out of situations like a previous divorce, can help reduce stigma and foster understanding and acceptance in young readers.
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