We Are All So Good at Smiling Audiobook By Amber McBride cover art

We Are All So Good at Smiling

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We Are All So Good at Smiling

By: Amber McBride
Narrated by: Amber McBride
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Long-listed, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2023

"McBride brings a special gift to this production by narrating her own material."—AudioFile Magazine

This audiobook features music and special effects. Listen along and enjoy the fun that is We Are All So Good at Smiling.

This program is read by the author.

They Both Die at the End meets The Bell Jar in this haunting, beautiful young adult novel-in-verse about clinical depression and healing from trauma, from National Book Award Finalist Amber McBride.

Whimsy is back in the hospital for treatment of clinical depression. When she meets a boy named Faerry, she recognizes they both have magic in the marrow of their bones. And when Faerry and his family move to the same street, the two start to realize that their lifelines may have twined and untwined many times before.

They are both terrified of the forest at the end of Marsh Creek Lane.

The Forest whispers to Whimsy. The Forest might hold the answers to the part of Faerry he feels is missing. They discover the Forest holds monsters, fairy tales, and pain that they have both been running from for 11 years.

A Macmillan Audio production from Feiwel & Friends.

©2023 Amber McBride (P)2023 Macmillan Audio Depression & Mental Health Difficult Situations Literature & Fiction Mental Health Multicultural Women's Voices Feel-Good Magic Fantasy

Critic reviews

"The choice of verse to tell this absorbing story is a strong one; readers are drawn along by the intense and vivid imagery, and the depictions of clinical depression, guilt, and grief are visceral. McBride explores the impact of the intersection between Blackness and mental illness ... and the difficulties of two unusual young people finding refuge through friendship from the pressures the world exerts on them. Whimsy’s practice of Hoodoo and the empowerment she receives from the magic inside and around her help her contend with her depression and unravel her grief without negating a brutal, yet ultimately hopeful, reality. ..Important messages uniquely delivered."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
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I liked everything about this book. I would definitely recommend this book. Just hearing the metaphors woven throughout this novel along with the mental health aspect was amazing

The Black Magic💜

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This story touches on a topic deemed practically taboo in the Black community in a beautiful way

Not what i was expecting (in a good way)

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Loved this. My full review will be posted on SG after I get off work/ go on my lunch break. Please listen and heal with this book.

Beautiful.

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Amber narrates her tale beautifully. I will add this book to my flannel bag and carry it with me through life.

It don’t think it gets better than this

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Minimal thing but love the soundtrack at the end. The performance from the author was fantastic too

Just beautiful way of writing about pain and suffering

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Lyrical and gorgeous story using mythology, folklore and fairytales to depict and explore grief and mental health.

Hauntingly beautiful

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I find this topic hard, no matter the fairytales interwoven into it. It is beautiful poetry. Not my cup of tea. But the story was a good story.

Not my favorite

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