From the acclaimed author of Hurricane Season, an unforgettable story about what makes a family, for fans of Hazel's Theory of Evolution and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World. Eleven-year-old Joey is angry. All the time. And she doesn't understand why. She has two loving moms, a supportive older half brother, and, as a triplet, she's never without company. Her life is good. But sometimes she loses her temper and lashes out, like the time she threw a soccer ball-hard-at a boy in gym class and bruised his collarbone. Or when jealousy made her push her (former) best friend (and crush), Layla, a little bit too roughly. After a meltdown at Joey's apartment building leads to her family's eviction, Joey is desperate to figure out why she's so mad. A new unit in science class makes her wonder if the reason is genetics. Does she lose control because of something she inherited from the donor her mothers chose? The Science of Being Angry is a heartwarming story about what makes a family and what makes us who we are from an author whose works are highly praised for their presentation of and insights into the emotional lives of tweens. Nicole Melleby, a New Jersey native, is the author of highly praised middle-grade books, including the Lambda Literary finalist Hurricane Season and ALA Notable book How to Become a Planet. She lives with her wife and their cats, whose need for attention oddly aligns with Nicole's writing schedule. Visit her online at nicolemelleby.com. A School Library Journal Best Book of the year An ALA Rainbow Book List Selection "This emotional read shows the power of friendship and family without omitting the work that goes into loving someone." -Booklist, Starred Review "Joey has scrappy determination, and readers can't help but be charmed by her and her lovable and well-developed cast of family and friends. Joey's inner thoughts and desperation to better understand her impulses builds empathy for those grappling with similar struggles....A strong recommendation for readers who enjoy contemplative, character-driven stories." -School Library Journal, Starred Review "Impressive … powerfully crafted with a satisfying conclusion, and it tackles uncommon but critical themes with nuance and complexity. A strong novel about strong feelings." -Kirkus Reviews "Melleby excels at exploring aspects of queer life within a layered story. … An affecting portrayal of a preteen who has even more to figure out than most about why she is the way she is; how to handle herself; and where she fits in the world." -The Horn Book "This is an interesting look at a tween who is struggling with understanding and dealing with her neurological differences." -YA Books Central PRAISE FOR HOW TO BECOME A PLANET: One of The Nerd Daily's "Anticipated Queer Book Releases You Can't Miss in 2021" One of Lambda Literary's "May's Most Anticipated LGBTQ Literature" "Gorgeous." -BuzzFeed "As always, Melleby naturally integrates her queer protagonist's discovery of her sexuality into a larger story. The love of space that Pluto shares with her mother (whose own stress level is honestly portrayed) informs her way of thinking about herself and the world; Pluto's interest in the history of the Challenger disaster is just one reason this introspective novel might appeal to fans of Erin Entrada Kelly's We Dream of Space." -The Horn Book Magazine "Nicole Melleby, author of "In the Role of Brie Hutchins," offers a sensitive, pitch-perfect portrayal of a girl battling depression and anxiety disorder the summer before 8th grade in this excellent novel for middle-grade readers. … This is an important and ultimately hopeful book." -The Buffalo News "An outstanding book." -The City Book Review, Kid's Book Buz