Eli Over Easy is great for 6th, 7th and 8th graders. Even if you don’t teach those grades, I’d check it out as it’s one of a new wave of books that explicitly takes place in a world that knows COVID. Your high schoolers might benefit from using this story to reflect on their middle school COVID years. Happy reading!

Title: Eli Over Easy​

Author: Phil Stamper

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Age range: 9+ (Best for 11-13 year olds)

Summary: Eli and his dad are new to New York City, having recently moved from Minnesota for his mom’s new job. But Eli’s mom died a few months previously—from COVID—and he and his dad are grieving deeply and struggling to adapt. As summer break begins, Eli joins a challenging online coding course, discovers his mom’s secret series of unpublished cooking videos, and meets the cute boy next door. His new friendship, new skills, and new connection to his mom just might be enough to help Eli move forward—though he’s not sure his dad is ready to do so.

Recommend Eli Over Easy to students who enjoyed:

​Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka (young teenage boy using a newfound passion to find his way in light of a missing parent)

​Hope in the Valley by Mitali Perkins (young teenager leans on community support and personal interests in order to move forward after their mother’s sudden death)

Why it’s an engaging addition to your classroom library:

Eli Over Easy is a great option for independent reading. It offers strong character development in an authentic world—one that knows COVID and its harrowing impact. Recommend it first to students who care about:

• Coding & streaming: The story shares some of the tech side of Eli’s class, including how he builds an app using his mom’s recipe to allow users to bake chocolate chip cookies just the way they like them. Similarly, the book features a sub-plot focused on Riley, Eli’s cousin, who hosts a popular gaming streaming site. We see her build a supportive online community and battle trolls. Your students who enjoy coding, gaming, or see themselves as the next famous streamer will appreciate Eli’s and Riley’s hobbies.
• Cooking: Eli’s mom was a chef. One way he connects with her after her passing is by learning to cook all of her signature dishes. His kitchen antics are comedic and his learning journey is heartwarming. Food-savvy students will enjoy the recipes included throughout.
• LGBTQ+: Mathias is the cute boy next door who is spending the summer with his grandma while his parents take some time to work on their marriage. His and Eli’s blossoming relationship is sweet and hopeful—everything one wants out of a first crush. This gentle romance is age-appropriate and validating.
• City life: Between being from a small town, the anxiety of COVID, and the death of his mom, Eli and his dad are unsure how to embrace all that NYC has to offer (especially his dad). Feeling caged in his apartment, Eli finds excuses to sneak out. He gets to know the grocers, the bagel shop, the vendors. He explores different boroughs and relishes in the energy that only a major city can offer. If you teach in a big city, your students will recognize this book for the love letter to city life that it is.

Final two cents: Stamper offers many avenues for representation in this story but one identity that every reader will see reflected back to them is living through COVID. This makes it extra relevant for current students.

I’d love to chat about this book. Reach out if you would, too!

This post includes affiliate links. Any purchases made through them come at no extra cost to you but they do help keep this newsletter free and accessible.