The Thing About Jellyfish manages that rarest trick of great literature: It is both simple and huge. One that fits the bill is Ali Benjamin’s heartfelt and fascinating fiction debut, “The Thing About Jellyfish,” which has been nominated for a 2015 National Book Award. Benjamin was constantly sending me through moments of laughter and joy as well as moments of true sadness that lingered with me, pulling at ever single little string in my heart. View book info and cumulative award history for The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin. Ali Benjamin captures the delicate intimacies of envy and grief, while simultaneously exploring the grandest implications of what it means to be alive. The National Book Awards are a set of annual American literary awards presented by the National Book Foundation. THE THING ABOUT JELLYFISH makes the 2015 National Book Award Young People’s Literature Longlist! Franny was the best swimmer Suzy ever knew. Read Common Sense Media's The Thing About Jellyfish review, age rating, and parents guide. She embarks on this incredible journey and learns about life, death, and love. After Suzy's former best friend is lost from a drowning accident, Suzy knows something isn't right. Directed by Wanuri Kahiu. Adaptation. After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting-things don't just happen for no reason. Awards. Ali Benjamin is a National Book Award Finalist for The Thing About Jellyfish, and the co-writer for HIV-positive teen Paige Rawl's coming-of-age memoir Positive as well as Tim Howard's New York Times bestseller The Keeper.She is a member of New England Science Writers and has written for The Boston GlobeMagazine, Martha Stewart's Whole Living, and Sesame Street. This one-page guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin. As she prepares, she learns astonishing things about the universe around her… and discovers the potential for … The New Yorker announces the full list here . Oddlot Entertainment has acquired the screen rights to The Thing About Jellyfish, with Gigi Pritzker set to produce with Bruna Papandrea and Reese Witherspoon. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even … Suzy Swanson, a socially awkward 12-year-old, is convinced that Franny, her former... read more. The Thing About Jellyfish was nominated for 2015 National Book Award. School Library Journal named the novel to one of its Best Books of 2015. Ali Benjamin captures the delicate intimacies of envy and grief, while simultaneously exploring the grandest implications of what it means to be alive. Suzy Swanson, a socially awkward 12-year-old, is convinced that Franny, her former best friend, was stung by a rare jellyfish. Convinced that Franny’s death was the result of a freak jellyfish sting, she crafts a plan to prove the truth, even if it means traveling around the globe… alone. The Thing About Jellyfish is a beautifully written middle-grade novel and is full of clever and witty writing. This stunning debut novel about grief and wonder was an instant New York Times bestseller and captured widespread critical acclaim, including selection as a 2015 National Book Award finalist! The Thing About Jellyfish, 2015 The New York Times Best Sellers Middle Grade Hardcover winner, Ali Benjamin Mooresville Public Library (Mooresville, Indiana) presents a book trailer featuring the preteen/young adult novel, "The Thing About Jellyfish," by Ali Benjamin. Set in the fictional town of South Grove, Massachusetts, The Thing About Jellyfish (2015), American author Ali Benjamin’s debut children’s novel, follows Suzy “Zu” Swanson, a seventh-grade girl who is extremely sad about the recent death of her close friend, Franny Jackson. After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting-things don't just happen for no reason. The Thing About Jellyfish manages that rarest trick of great literature: It is both simple and huge. With Millie Bobby Brown. The Thing about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin. Reese Witherspoon announced in October 2015 on her Instagram feed that her company, Pacific Standard Films, would create a film based on the novel. “After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy must have been a rare jellyfish sting-things don't just happen for no reason. Beautiful, grief-tinged, coming-of-age story has it all.