On February 4th, Up2Us VISTA members joined a Zoom meeting to discuss the book “A Girl with More Than One Heart” by Laura Geringer Bass. “A Girl with More Than One Heart” follows Briana after the death of her father. Through her grief, Briana imagines a new heart growing inside of her which speaks with her dad’s voice. In the book, her “dad voice” compels her to take actions like “find her,” “move,” and “let go.” While reading, I thought not only about the process of grieving but also about my experiences of home, love, and friendship. This book felt particularly relevant as many people have experienced some sort of grief through the year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you are feeling the grief of missing an old routine or the grief of losing a loved one, this book provides perspective through the eyes of a teenager, which is refreshing and thought provoking. 

Not only did VISTAs from across the country participate in conversation, but we were joined by Laura Geringer Bass, the author of “A Girl with More Than One Heart.” Laura shared that she was inspired to write the book following the death of her own father. Laura spoke to the importance of using her own experience to draw inspiration for the book. For example, in the book Briana remembers making clothespin angels with her mom. Laura mentioned that those clothespin angels were pulled from her own life and her experience of making them with family. Learning about how the book tied into Laura’s life enriched the conversation and made this month’s book club even more special.

Since the release of “A Girl with More Than One Heart,” Laura has developed a learning guide for the book. This includes #BeYourOwn, a writing workshop with prompt cards that foster storytelling and sharing stories. Click here to read more about the #BeYourOwn storytelling method and to access resources that can be useful for bringing storytelling into your work with youth.

Interested in joining our next book club? We are discussing “Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love” by Jonathan Van Ness on April 1st at 5 pm EST. Register here.