The Probability of Everything — Content Guide for Parents
Themes present
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Content themes
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Religious themes
PRESENTContains references to prayer and church attendance. A minister character plays a supporting role in two chapters.
About this book
"One of the best books I have read this year (maybe ever)." --Colby Sharp, Nerdy Book Club
NPR Books We Love 2023 ^ Publishers Weekly Best of 2023 ^ Winner of the Governor General's Literary Awards for Young People's Literature
A heart-wrenching middle grade debut about Kemi, an aspiring scientist who loves statistics and facts, as she navigates grief and loss at a moment when life as she knows it changes forever.
Eleven-year-old Kemi Carter loves scientific facts, specifically probability. It's how she understands the world and her place in it. Kemi knows her odds of being born were 1 in 5.5 trillion and that the odds of her having the best family ever were even lower. Yet somehow, Kemi lucked out.
But everything Kemi thought she knew changes when she sees an asteroid hover in the sky, casting a purple haze over her world. Amplus-68 has an 84.7% chance of colliding with earth in four days, and with that collision, Kemi's life as she knows it will end.
But over the course of the four days, even facts don't feel true to Kemi anymore. The new town she moved to that was supposed to be "better for her family" isn't very welcoming. And Amplus-68 is taking over her life, but others are still going to school and eating at their favorite diner like nothing has changed. Is Kemi the only one who feels like the world is ending
With the days numbered, Kemi decides to put together a time capsule that will capture her family's truth: how creative her mother is, how inquisitive her little sister can be, and how much Kemi's whole world revolves around her father. But no time capsule can change the truth behind all of it, that Kemi must face the most inevitable and hardest part of life: saying goodbye.
"My heart hurt as I raced through the last chapters of this unique book that shines a light on family, friends, grief, and love." --Lisa Yee, author of Maizy Chen's Last Chance
Frequently asked questions
Is The Probability of Everything appropriate for a 7-year-old?
The story includes a character who is killed, with descriptions of blood stains and the aftermath of trauma and grief among other characters. This violence is significant to the plot. No scary content detected in the search results. The themes focus more on emotional and social issues rather than horror or fear.
Does The Probability of Everything have violence?
The story includes a character who is killed, with descriptions of blood stains and the aftermath of trauma and grief among other characters. This violence is significant to the plot.
Does The Probability of Everything have scary content?
No scary content detected in the search results. The themes focus more on emotional and social issues rather than horror or fear.
Does The Probability of Everything have religious themes?
The narrative includes a character who mentions going to church, but the character's considerations about death do not include God, suggesting a nuanced view of faith. However, the religious aspect is not a central theme.
Does The Probability of Everything have racial/cultural content?
The book addresses themes of racism, gun violence, and the Black Lives Matter movement, indicating that race is a central theme in the narrative.
Does The Probability of Everything have profanity?
The search results mention mild cursing in the book, indicating some use of profanity, but it is not a prominent aspect of the narrative.
Does The Probability of Everything have climate change?
The narrative includes a plot point about an asteroid set to destroy Earth, which suggests themes related to existential threats and possibly climate change, though this is not explicitly detailed in the search results.
Does The Probability of Everything have sexual identity?
No sexual content detected in the search results. The narrative focuses on themes of loss and grief rather than sexual themes.
Does The Probability of Everything have gender roles?
No specific gender roles detected in the search results. The focus is on personal identity and social issues rather than traditional or modern gender roles.
Does The Probability of Everything have lgbtq+ themes?
No LGBTQ+ themes detected in the search results for 'The Probability of Everything'. The content primarily discusses themes of loss, grief, and racial violence.
