Review: So That Happened...But Maybe You Already Knew That?
So THAT Happened... But Maybe You Already Knew That
by Tami Sussman
Walker Books, 2025
Category: Middle Grade
Reviewer: Rochelle Newman-Carrasco
So That Happened…But Maybe You Already Knew That? is more than a title. It’s the inner voice of the delightfully unsure protagonist Natalie Sellek, known as Nutty to her family and friends because of a love for Nutella. She is constantly coming up against intense or puzzling things that would make a person want to say “so that happened.” But, because Natalie is aware that what might be a novel observation or idea for her may or may not be commonplace to you, the reader, she's quick to add the disclaimer: "but maybe you already knew that?" Natalie is also a lover of new words, and cultural exchange – which also prompts a “maybe you already knew that?” as she brings in Hebrew words, Yiddish words, and other cultural ideas from her homeland Australia and more. In other words, she is a curious, empathetic young teenager in a world full of growth and change. She is getting ready for her Bat Mitzvah when she discovers her family is wrestling with financial problems. Their need to move out of their home also impacts Natalie’s beloved aunt Sarah, who is queer and deals with depression, and her grandmother, Bubi, who is a Holocaust survivor. Natalie is also estranged from her best friend, unsure of but smitten with a new maybe-next-best friendship, falling in love, and wrestling with her values in the face of bullying. Sussman does a wonderful job of bringing all of these topics together in ways that elicit a wide range of emotional responses. The characters are complex and fully developed. Their interactions with one another add even more layers to really engaging, well crafted scenes that build and never get predictable.
The Jewish representation seems very authentic and includes generational aspects as Natalie’s Bubi, and the Jewish assisted living center she winds up living in, play a major role in the storyline. Bubi is a Holocaust survivor. She also has her point of view on Natalie’s Bat Mitzvah, especially when it becomes a “Bang Mitzvah” and new traditions are embraced. The book includes a glossary of Yiddish and Hebrew words, along with explanations of Jewish Holidays and Festivals. The author is Australian and the book is set in Australia, yet another enjoyable cultural layer. One character is a mother of one of Natalie’s friends who is Chinese Australian and who has converted to Judaism. While most of the other characters are Jewish, Natalie also has friends who had never known a Jewish person before meeting her. While there aren’t illustrations to speak of, the fun design choices include using bullets in the shape of little Stars of David in a series of lists that Natalie uses to sort through various factoids or ideas she is processing with the reader. It's a very organic way of representing the Jewish experience as part of everyday life.
The Jewish representation seems very authentic and includes generational aspects as Natalie’s Bubi, and the Jewish assisted living center she winds up living in, play a major role in the storyline. Bubi is a Holocaust survivor. She also has her point of view on Natalie’s Bat Mitzvah, especially when it becomes a “Bang Mitzvah” and new traditions are embraced. The book includes a glossary of Yiddish and Hebrew words, along with explanations of Jewish Holidays and Festivals. The author is Australian and the book is set in Australia, yet another enjoyable cultural layer. One character is a mother of one of Natalie’s friends who is Chinese Australian and who has converted to Judaism. While most of the other characters are Jewish, Natalie also has friends who had never known a Jewish person before meeting her. While there aren’t illustrations to speak of, the fun design choices include using bullets in the shape of little Stars of David in a series of lists that Natalie uses to sort through various factoids or ideas she is processing with the reader. It's a very organic way of representing the Jewish experience as part of everyday life.
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Reviewer Rochelle Newman-Carrasco credits her love of literature to her Lower East Side NYC roots. She is the co-author of ZigZag, a bilingual English-Spanish children's book. She has written for The New York Times, Lilith, The Forward, The Ethel, Off Assignment, The Independent and more. She holds a BFA in Theater from UC Irvine and an MFA from Antioch University, Los Angeles. Rochelle is also a recognized expert in the field of culturally specific marketing and advertising, with an emphasis on diverse cultural segments. She is working on a memoir based on her solo theater show Hip Bones and Cool Whip.
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