From two-time Newbery Honor and New York Times-bestselling author Kevin Henkes, this timeless novel about loss, loneliness, and friendship tells the story of the spring break that changes seventh-grader Amelia Albright's life forever.

Amelia Albright dreams about going to Florida for spring break like everyone else in her class, but her father-a cranky and stubborn English professor-has decided Florida is too much adventure.

Now Amelia is stuck at home with him and her babysitter, the beloved Mrs. O'Brien. The week ahead promises to be boring, until Amelia meets Casey at her neighborhood art studio. Amelia has never been friends with a boy before, and the experience is both fraught and thrilling. When Casey claims to see the spirit of Amelia's mother (who died ten years before), the pair embarks on an altogether different journey in their attempt to find her.

Using crisp, lyrical, literary writing and moments of humor and truth, award-winning author Kevin Henkes deftly captures how it feels to be almost thirteen.

With themes of family, death, grief, creativity, and loyalty, Sweeping Up the Heart is for readers of Kate DiCamillo, Rebecca Stead, Lauren Wolk, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, and Pam Munoz Ryan.

There are 192 pages in this book. This book was published 2019 by HarperCollins Publishers Inc .

A brand new author to the Puffin list, Kevin Henke's novels include The Birthday Room, Sun & Spoon and Words of Stone. Among his acclaimed picture books, many of which are published here in the UK, are the number one bestseller Wemberley Worried, the Caldecott Honor Book Owen and the charming Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse. Kevin Henkes lives in Madison, Wisconsin.