Yelling At Satellites
Yelling at Satellites
Jessica Tornek
Walking Magnolia Press 2025
Middle school is fraught with emotions, and for Ethan, many things are happening all at once. Is he having feelings for a boy at summer camp? Can he overcome his fear of heights, knowing his family will be going rock climbing on their vacation? Can he become the team captain, and will his soccer team finally beat the rich-kid school team this year? In addition, will Ethan and his friends weather the shifts in their relationships as they face their last school year together before high school? Underlying all of these are Ethan’s compulsive behaviors.
This seems like a lot to tackle in a middle-grade chapter book – especially in the timeframe of a few weeks – but this debut novelist does a masterful job. It is not easy to capture the voice of a 12-year-old boy. It becomes even more challenging when the character is grappling with being gay. She expertly and realistically captures the emotional experiences of middle schoolers and their family members, giving authentic voices to Ethan and the supporting characters. Ethan’s character development in the book is realistic and relatable. The author appears not only to be intimately familiar with the various topics introduced in the book but also able to translate that experience successfully to the page in a way that engages readers and elicits understanding.
In addition, the author handles Ethan’s rituals and compulsive tendencies with sensitivity. She never labels Ethan. Instead, she describes his behavior, such as spacing his trophies on the shelf an inch apart or tapping three times when faced with what feels like an overwhelming situation, without judgment. And she portrays Ethan’s friends and family as accepting his behaviors as part of his overall personality, without drawing negative attention to them. This gives the reader space to make their own observations about Ethan while the author models receptivity. The author should be applauded for raising awareness and acceptance of these behaviors with empathy and compassion.
The depiction of the family ties is refreshing. Through Ethan’s eyes, we get to know the personalities of his mother, father, sister, grandmother, and grandfather. Ethan’s parents have very different personalities – one creative and the other more analytical – but together they blend well as a parental unit. The sibling relationship between Ethan and his sister is enviably close, despite their seemingly opposing personalities – his sister is creative and free-spirited, while Ethan is very structured. Ethan’s relationship with his grandfather is close, and he is always eager to share his successes with him. However, there is a bit of formality between them, and Ethan feels pressure to always make him proud.
The book’s pace is well-suited to the story and includes some unexpected twists. The text flows easily, and the dialogue feels natural. The plot is engaging, and the characters are well-drawn. The descriptive details make the various locations in the story vividly come to life.
The book’s title, Yelling at Satellites, is intriguing. It adds a historical perspective to the story through references to Sputnik and the space race. And it creatively ties Ethan’s and his grandfather’s camp adventures, helping him understand how experiences and friendships remain with you throughout life.
This is an extremely impressive debut novel with many layers. The book leaves you wanting more time with the characters. Even the author admits in her notes at the end of the book that she was not ready to say goodbye to Ethan. Hopefully, this means we will see more from this promising author and learn how Ethan navigates high school! Very highly recommended!
