Review: All the Things We Found

All the Things We Found

by Joanne Levy

Orca, 2025

Category: Middle Grade

Reviewer: Lisa Trank

 

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In Joanne Levy's All the Things We Found, 11-year-old Ruthie is navigating big, difficult changes from the aftermath of her baby brother’s stillbirth and her mother's subsequent postpartum depression, to her parents' divorce, new stepfather, and standoffish older stepbrothers. When Ruthie’s mother announces that she is pregnant, Ruthie’s grief and anxieties about her baby brother’s passing are reignited. Ruthie finds solace with her dog Izzy, and her best friend, Jenna, and their shared passion for the fantasy book series Unicorns of Faravelle. The two girls eagerly anticipate book number eight, but when they learn it's been canceled, Ruthie is determined to uncover why, even attempting to write the book herself.

On a walk with Izzy to the cemetery where her brother is buried, Ruthie encounters an older woman sitting on a bench, writing in a red notebook. When Ruthie finds the notebook left behind, she and Jenna turn it into the police, reporting that the woman is plotting to murder the the town mayor. However, they discover that the woman is the author of Unicorns of Faravelle, and coincidentally, a friend of Ruthie’s grandmother, Bubby. Ruthie and the author develop a close bond through their love for writing and experiences with grief.

As Ruthie is beginning to accept her mother's pregnancy, her dog Izzy suddenly dies. Unlike with her baby brother, Ruthie experiences more support, including an impromptu shiva service, as well as support from her stepbrothers. The story concludes at a reading of the final Unicorns book, dedicated to Ruthie, who is holding her healthy baby sister.

The novel has many strengths: the sensitive way Levy handles heavy themes, the engaging writing, Ruthie's character, and the light moments throughout. I would also recommend that the book be read with a trusted adult, as Izzy's sudden death is very jarring. While Izzy’s death allows Ruthie to finally receive support, it felt somewhat like a plot device, and left this reviewer wanting a more complete resolution for Ruthie's grief over her baby brother.

All the Things We Found incorporates Jewish elements, though they are secondary to the core narrative. These elements include mentions of Shabbat and Ruthie’s upcoming Bat Mitzvah and specific to the story, Jewish customs related to mourning, such as funerals and shiva. Specifically, Ruthie’s Bubby conducts a shiva for her dog, Izzy, and Ruthie and her father place stones on her baby brother's grave. Jewish and non-Jewish readers can relate to the universal theme of grief. The Jewish aspects of the mourning process are not extensively explored and therefore do not significantly enhance the reader’s understanding of Judaism or Jewish mourning and funeral rituals; for a more thorough exploration of these themes, read Levy's Sorry for Your Loss (2021).

 

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Reviewer Reviewer Lisa Trank is a Longmont, Colorado based writer, storyteller, and performer. She is a member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of SCBWI and Shalom Writers.