At first, Lydia is wary of Billy, as she is with all the people she meets, but as time goes on, she realizes that some of Billys optimism might just be rubbing off on her. When the two towns schools must survive under the same roof, Billys and Lydias worlds collide. Lydia, on the other hand, sees life as an endless cycle of misery and gloom. Billy lives his life as an optimist, or as optimistic as you can get with no mother, a cranky grandmother, and a drug-addicted missing uncle.

Review Quotes * Gr 9 Up-Reed introduces readers to the grand state of Washington-home to the Rome Unicorns and Carthage Dragons, and Billy Sloat and Lydia Lemon. With a unique mix of raw emotion, humor, and heart, the surreal plotline pulls readers through an epic exploration of how caring for others makes us vulnerable-and how utterly pointless life would be if we didnt. And as the two grow closer and confront bigger truths about their pasts, they must also deal with such inconveniences as a narcissistic rock star, a war between unicorns and dragons, and eventually, of course, the apocalypse. On top of that, weird happenings including an impossible tornado and an all-consuming fog are cropping up around them-maybe even because of them. When the lives of these two loners are thrust together, Lydias cynicism is met with Billys sincere optimism, and both begin to question their own outlook on life. Billy Sloat and Lydia Lemon dont have much in common, unless you count growing up on the same (wrong) side of the tracks, the lack of a mother, and a persistent loneliness that has inspired creative coping mechanisms. About the Book In the near future, seniors Lydia and Billy form an unlikely friendship when their high schools are merged, bonding over their Washington towns weird history and their unusual families- Book Synopsis The Astonishing Color of After meets Eleanor and Park in this breathtaking and beautifully surreal story about a friendship between two teens that just might shake the earth around them or at the very least make them face some painful truths about the nature of what drives us apart.and what brings us together.

Beautiful by Amy Reed