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The Trouble with Heroes
Bestselling and award-winning author Kate Messner takes readers on a heart-filling journey as a boy finds his path to healing.
One summer.
46 mountain peaks.
A second chance to make things right.
Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn's about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines . . . until now.
Caught on camera vandalizing a cemetery, he's in big trouble for kicking down some dead old lady's headstone. But it turns out that grave belongs to a legendary local mountain climber, and her daughter makes Finn an unusual offer...climb all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks with her dead mother's dog, and they can call it even.
In a wild three months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, Finn begins to find his way on the trails. At the top of each peak, he can see for miles and slowly begins to understand more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don't care about any of that, and as the clock ticks down to September, they have more surprises in store. Finn's final summit challenge may be more than even a hero can face.
One summer.
46 mountain peaks.
A second chance to make things right.
Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn's about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines . . . until now.
Caught on camera vandalizing a cemetery, he's in big trouble for kicking down some dead old lady's headstone. But it turns out that grave belongs to a legendary local mountain climber, and her daughter makes Finn an unusual offer...climb all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks with her dead mother's dog, and they can call it even.
In a wild three months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, Finn begins to find his way on the trails. At the top of each peak, he can see for miles and slowly begins to understand more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don't care about any of that, and as the clock ticks down to September, they have more surprises in store. Finn's final summit challenge may be more than even a hero can face.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published April 25, 2025
125 people are currently reading
4714 people want to read
About the author
Kate Messner
127 books1,630 followersKate Messner is an award-winning author, TED 2012 speaker, and former middle school English teacher. Her books for kids include THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z.,SUGAR AND ICE, and EYE OF THE STORM (Walker/Bloomsbury Dec. 2010) the MARTY MCGUIRE series (Scholastic), SEA MONSTER'S FIRST DAY, and OVER AND UNDER THE SNOW (Chronicle, Books). Kate also wrote SPITFIRE and CHAMPLAIN AND THE SILENT ONE, both Lake Champlain historical novels published by North Country Books.
Kate lives with her family on Lake Champlain, where she loves to read, write, hike, swing on birch trees, and eat chocolate. She also hangs out in various places online.
Visit Kate's website: http://www.katemessner.com
Find Kate on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/KateMessner
...or follow her on Twitter - @katemessner
Kate lives with her family on Lake Champlain, where she loves to read, write, hike, swing on birch trees, and eat chocolate. She also hangs out in various places online.
Visit Kate's website: http://www.katemessner.com
Find Kate on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/KateMessner
...or follow her on Twitter - @katemessner
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
July 26, 2025
✰ 3.25 stars ✰
My main issue with why I was not able to click with it more was the ambiguity surrounding Noah, Finn's father's characterization and death. It was revealed to us in tidbits - little glimpses here and there, that I would have had to take notes in order to paint a cohesive image of him to get a better sense of him as the hero his son saw him as. For The trouble with Heroes is that we tend to create a persona of them that we look up to; that we admire their admirable qualities for. 👨🏻🚒
“I remember him gone—
off fighting fires,
rescuing everybody but us.”
As Finn also learned more about his father in these little reveals, it was difficult to really get a sense of what really was the main reason. To shed light on PTSD from the 9/11 attacks was a very strong and powerful touch that deserves to be shown. 😔 'The Towers took something he couldn’t get back.' The pain and heartache of a firefighter captured in time doing a heroic rescue would leave an impact. it's the moments leading up to his death, his commitment and dedication to his role as a firefighter during Covid and his separation from his family that strongly hurt his ten-year-old son. 💔 💔
The delayed reaction to his sudden passing was what led Finn to his vandalism two years after his death - letting sadness in, one teaspoon at a time - one still simmering strongly with unresolved grief and anger. 😞
“But climbing isn’t about
reaching the top.
It’s about pushing past limits
of what you thought you could do.”
I liked the concept behind the 46ers; it's a commitment of great dedication and the pictures included within the text were breathtaking. ⛰️ The idea of having people related to his father serving as nannies along his trek was a nice touch for him to reconnect with the father he never really knew and to also heal the parts of his thirteen-year-old heart that still feels unfinished, too for how he was still unable to grasp the truth of what had happened. 🫂
Seymour was terrific, the best and most loyal dog. 🦮 He really gave Finn the extra courage and boost of spirit he needed accompanying him on his hikes. The cookie creations inspired by the mountains were a clever and unique idea; it's a shame that after their success at the store (as unbelievable as it was) they didn't make an appearance again, after Finn's many delicious recipes... 🍪
It was a novel written in verse with slight inclusions of various multimedia that kept the monotony out; as a middle-grade, I felt it was a bit on the longer side. Some of the coincidental surprises were a bit on the far-reaching side; it had me rolling my eyes, since it didn't quite resonate with his personality. 😮💨 The profound change of closure and self-awareness that Finn was writing towards the end also felt a bit too much. One instance where his father told Finn to stop twirling because he looked like a girl seemed very out of place. 🙁 I'm sorry, I really did not like that bit, and I can't understand the reasoning behind its inclusion.
“None of it was okay—
but I guess it sort of has to be,
so we can figure out
how to go on.”
However, there was one scene that I will forever carry in my heart, a very powerful and emotional one, that delivered exquisitely in its execution - mainly, I suppose because Finn's thoughts were being told in verse.
The moment Finn learns the contents of the third box in the cupboard.... 🥺🥺🥺
That broke me... beautifully done, heart-wrenching, just pure guttural sadness. 😢 That was evocative writing, so quietly impactful, one that just captured the intensity of coming to grips with his loss and taking that momentous next step towards grieving and healing. 🎀 Nature touched Finn by giving him an outlet for his pain and making peace with his death.it takes courage and conviction to accept that though they're gone, the traces of their love still prevails. ❤️🩹
“Sometimes people don’t know why they’re climbing.
They only know it’s better than hurting standing still.”
My main issue with why I was not able to click with it more was the ambiguity surrounding Noah, Finn's father's characterization and death. It was revealed to us in tidbits - little glimpses here and there, that I would have had to take notes in order to paint a cohesive image of him to get a better sense of him as the hero his son saw him as. For The trouble with Heroes is that we tend to create a persona of them that we look up to; that we admire their admirable qualities for. 👨🏻🚒
“I remember him gone—
off fighting fires,
rescuing everybody but us.”
As Finn also learned more about his father in these little reveals, it was difficult to really get a sense of what really was the main reason. To shed light on PTSD from the 9/11 attacks was a very strong and powerful touch that deserves to be shown. 😔 'The Towers took something he couldn’t get back.' The pain and heartache of a firefighter captured in time doing a heroic rescue would leave an impact. it's the moments leading up to his death, his commitment and dedication to his role as a firefighter during Covid and his separation from his family that strongly hurt his ten-year-old son. 💔 💔
The delayed reaction to his sudden passing was what led Finn to his vandalism two years after his death - letting sadness in, one teaspoon at a time - one still simmering strongly with unresolved grief and anger. 😞
“But climbing isn’t about
reaching the top.
It’s about pushing past limits
of what you thought you could do.”
I liked the concept behind the 46ers; it's a commitment of great dedication and the pictures included within the text were breathtaking. ⛰️ The idea of having people related to his father serving as nannies along his trek was a nice touch for him to reconnect with the father he never really knew and to also heal the parts of his thirteen-year-old heart that still feels unfinished, too for how he was still unable to grasp the truth of what had happened. 🫂
Seymour was terrific, the best and most loyal dog. 🦮 He really gave Finn the extra courage and boost of spirit he needed accompanying him on his hikes. The cookie creations inspired by the mountains were a clever and unique idea; it's a shame that after their success at the store (as unbelievable as it was) they didn't make an appearance again, after Finn's many delicious recipes... 🍪
It was a novel written in verse with slight inclusions of various multimedia that kept the monotony out; as a middle-grade, I felt it was a bit on the longer side. Some of the coincidental surprises were a bit on the far-reaching side; it had me rolling my eyes, since it didn't quite resonate with his personality. 😮💨 The profound change of closure and self-awareness that Finn was writing towards the end also felt a bit too much. One instance where his father told Finn to stop twirling because he looked like a girl seemed very out of place. 🙁 I'm sorry, I really did not like that bit, and I can't understand the reasoning behind its inclusion.
“None of it was okay—
but I guess it sort of has to be,
so we can figure out
how to go on.”
However, there was one scene that I will forever carry in my heart, a very powerful and emotional one, that delivered exquisitely in its execution - mainly, I suppose because Finn's thoughts were being told in verse.
The moment Finn learns the contents of the third box in the cupboard.... 🥺🥺🥺
That broke me... beautifully done, heart-wrenching, just pure guttural sadness. 😢 That was evocative writing, so quietly impactful, one that just captured the intensity of coming to grips with his loss and taking that momentous next step towards grieving and healing. 🎀 Nature touched Finn by giving him an outlet for his pain and making peace with his death.it takes courage and conviction to accept that though they're gone, the traces of their love still prevails. ❤️🩹
September 8, 2025
"I am not lost in the woods or being stalked by a panther or getting swatted by a bear." I laughed every time the main character Finn texted this to his mother.
Mack Gordon does such an excellent job with the audio that I felt he brought to life. This book is heartbreaking and so funny I found myself laughing aloud. Such a cute depiction from a child's mind as he navigates life and heartache. Finn is angry with the world after the death of his dad. The book begins with his punishment for vandalizing a headstone. The headstone belonged to the famous Edna Grace who was known for climbing 46 peaks with her dog Seymour. Finn was caught on video and Edna's daughter wants him to pay but not the way of the law, but to have him climb over the summer 46 peaks with Seymour to see her mother's accomplishment firsthand.
Not only was this an important feat, but the loss of his dad hits closer to home. His dad had been photographed saving a girl on September 11 as an EMT/firefighter. Finn knew him as a hero but was also angry at his absence from their home during the COVID 19 outbreak. After his father died, Finn's resentment to his care for others blocked his ability to heal. This was a touching story that most of it was written in verse, as Finn also works on a school poetry assignment. I loved this book so much and found it highly appropriate for this week's September 11th memorial. The author did an excellent job creating the reader and main character connection as if we are there walking Finn through the levels of healing. Kudos to Seymour the dog for being the best canine companion through it all.
Mack Gordon does such an excellent job with the audio that I felt he brought to life. This book is heartbreaking and so funny I found myself laughing aloud. Such a cute depiction from a child's mind as he navigates life and heartache. Finn is angry with the world after the death of his dad. The book begins with his punishment for vandalizing a headstone. The headstone belonged to the famous Edna Grace who was known for climbing 46 peaks with her dog Seymour. Finn was caught on video and Edna's daughter wants him to pay but not the way of the law, but to have him climb over the summer 46 peaks with Seymour to see her mother's accomplishment firsthand.
Not only was this an important feat, but the loss of his dad hits closer to home. His dad had been photographed saving a girl on September 11 as an EMT/firefighter. Finn knew him as a hero but was also angry at his absence from their home during the COVID 19 outbreak. After his father died, Finn's resentment to his care for others blocked his ability to heal. This was a touching story that most of it was written in verse, as Finn also works on a school poetry assignment. I loved this book so much and found it highly appropriate for this week's September 11th memorial. The author did an excellent job creating the reader and main character connection as if we are there walking Finn through the levels of healing. Kudos to Seymour the dog for being the best canine companion through it all.
March 21, 2025
A 2026 Newbery contender for sure!
May 12, 2025
First off the dog lives. Second, I loved this whole thing! Now for the actual review. I saw this cover and thought it would make the perfect middle grade palate cleanser for me as I was in-between audiobooks. What I didn't realize is that it would have me sobbing (in the best way) pretty much the whole time I was reading it! This book is perfect for readers (of any age) who want to explore grief, the outdoors, and community connection. It covers tough topics in the most respectful way. You've got PTSD, 9/11, misuse of alcohol (adult...not the 7th grader), and I'm sure I'm missing a few more. But more importantly this book has growth, forgiveness, and it offers everyone the opportunity to grow an even bigger heart. UGH IT WAS SO GOOD!!! Shoutout to Libro FM for my free ALC!
June 24, 2025
The trouble with a good book
is that you don't always know
when you will find one.
And then the trouble is,
that when you do find one,
like summiting a high peak,
you have to,
eventually,
come back down,
away from the world expanding,
capacious view that has just filled
you with awe and hope.
Maybe
that's why
the journey
to find
good stories
is always
worth the trouble
is that you don't always know
when you will find one.
And then the trouble is,
that when you do find one,
like summiting a high peak,
you have to,
eventually,
come back down,
away from the world expanding,
capacious view that has just filled
you with awe and hope.
Maybe
that's why
the journey
to find
good stories
is always
worth the trouble
April 17, 2025
If I could give it 10/5 stars, I would.
March 30, 2025
It's no secret that I love novels in verse; I love how fast paced they are, but are still able to pack even more of an emotional punch than a traditional novel.
Messner's story focuses on Finn, a troubled 13-year-old who gets caught kicking over a gravestone, and is then required to hike 46 Adirondack peaks as reparations.
Finn is not only dealing with the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic that we all experienced and can relate to, but is also in the epicenter of grief over the death of his father, who was a firefighter and a hero during the September 11th tragedy.
As he begins to hike each trail, with the help of a group of 46ers, his pain, anger, and confusion begin to melt away in the nature and wildness that surrounds him. He grows stronger both physically, mentally, and emotionally, and works through his resentment and pain in a way that is unique to him.
I loved how the 46ers are supportive of Finn, but never give him the option to use his grief as an excuse to give up.
This is such a wonderful story of hope after tragedy, and the healing powers that nature and the earth offer all of us. We just have to be willing to open ourselves up to it.
Messner's story focuses on Finn, a troubled 13-year-old who gets caught kicking over a gravestone, and is then required to hike 46 Adirondack peaks as reparations.
Finn is not only dealing with the trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic that we all experienced and can relate to, but is also in the epicenter of grief over the death of his father, who was a firefighter and a hero during the September 11th tragedy.
As he begins to hike each trail, with the help of a group of 46ers, his pain, anger, and confusion begin to melt away in the nature and wildness that surrounds him. He grows stronger both physically, mentally, and emotionally, and works through his resentment and pain in a way that is unique to him.
I loved how the 46ers are supportive of Finn, but never give him the option to use his grief as an excuse to give up.
This is such a wonderful story of hope after tragedy, and the healing powers that nature and the earth offer all of us. We just have to be willing to open ourselves up to it.
June 12, 2025
Finn is grumpy and grieving and taking it out on headstones. As penance for destroying the headstone of a recently deceased woman, her daughter, his mother, and a judge agree to a usual penance. With the dead woman’s dog he will hike all 46 Adirondack high peaks before the summer is over. He is not enthused.
I love, love, love a task driven plot but that is not why this book got five stars. I love a book with dogs and baking inside, but that is not why this book got five stars. I love a middle-grade book where the kids sounds and act like a kids, and not simply a mouthpiece for the author’s agenda, but not the reason for the 5 stars. I actually tried not to give it five stars, but I ran out of reasons. I enjoyed the whole journey and yes, some will snipe that there were too many contrived connections throughout the book, particularly at the end, but oh, my Lucy Maud Montgomery, they worked for me. This is the book that will be so satisfying to hand to kids.
I love, love, love a task driven plot but that is not why this book got five stars. I love a book with dogs and baking inside, but that is not why this book got five stars. I love a middle-grade book where the kids sounds and act like a kids, and not simply a mouthpiece for the author’s agenda, but not the reason for the 5 stars. I actually tried not to give it five stars, but I ran out of reasons. I enjoyed the whole journey and yes, some will snipe that there were too many contrived connections throughout the book, particularly at the end, but oh, my Lucy Maud Montgomery, they worked for me. This is the book that will be so satisfying to hand to kids.
July 4, 2025
Such a good MG book. It felt like a Gary Schmidt book. Hearfelt and simple story but deep in emotion. I was rooting for the MC the whole time. Redeeming ending.
Made me tear up and get some summer chores done!
CW: parent death, Covid, 9/11
💬𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘵:𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴/
💬*𝙈𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠.*
Thank you Lirbo FM for my free audio!
Made me tear up and get some summer chores done!
CW: parent death, Covid, 9/11
💬𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘵:𝘩𝘵𝘵𝘱𝘴://𝘸𝘸𝘸.𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮.𝘤𝘰𝘮/𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴/
💬*𝙈𝙮 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙤𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠.*
Thank you Lirbo FM for my free audio!
July 22, 2025
Finn is in a mess of trouble and in danger of not passing 7th grade. Then he makes matters worse by getting arrested for kicking over a headstone. Finn's anger and hurt run deep. Primarily it's centered on the death of his firefighter father who was a bona fide 911 hero, then later died working the front lines during the COVID pandemic. Finn feels that his father was available to everyone who needed help, except he wasn't there for his wife and son. Lucky for Finn, the damaged headstone belonged to a well-known climber, Edna Grace Thomas. Her daughter gives him a chance to make reparations by climbing 46 mountains in the Adirondack with Edna's dog. This will not only help with his vandalism arrest but allow him to finish his PE requirement and give him another chance to finish his English assignment about writing poems about a hero. Although this story is about grief and healing, there's also humor, good storytelling, and an absolutely wonderful dog. A fabulous must-read life affirming verse novel!
"I am not lost in the woods or being stalked
by a panther or getting swatted by a bear."
"Sometimes the person they need to remember
is themselves.
And sometimes people don't know why
they're climbing.
They only know it's better than hurting
standing still."
"It must be nice to know you can put your foot down
and find something solid
even when it looks like there's nothing there to hold you,
nothing to catch you if you fall.
I need to get me some of those magic sticky shoes."
"Because maybe being a hero
isn't about doing the right thing
all the time -- the brave thing -- the running
into buildings thing. Maybe it's about choosing
a path, even when there's no good one.
Choosing anyway.
And sometimes choosing wrong.
And being brave enough to try again."
"I am not lost in the woods or being stalked
by a panther or getting swatted by a bear."
"Sometimes the person they need to remember
is themselves.
And sometimes people don't know why
they're climbing.
They only know it's better than hurting
standing still."
"It must be nice to know you can put your foot down
and find something solid
even when it looks like there's nothing there to hold you,
nothing to catch you if you fall.
I need to get me some of those magic sticky shoes."
"Because maybe being a hero
isn't about doing the right thing
all the time -- the brave thing -- the running
into buildings thing. Maybe it's about choosing
a path, even when there's no good one.
Choosing anyway.
And sometimes choosing wrong.
And being brave enough to try again."
Read
June 4, 2025The Trouble with Heroes is one of @librofm 's free educator copies for May, so I'm posting this now so that my teacher friends have time to run and get it if they haven't already 😘.
Writer friends- it's in verse, but it feels so FRESH. I don't know how to explain it. There was a purpose to the poems (like in Iveliz, where she is writing them in her diary), and I love how Messner incorporated so many different types of poetry while still managing to make them feel authentically written by Finn's hand.
I'm told the physical is great because of the visual component of the mixed formats (newspaper articles, recipes, etc), but Mack Gordon did such a good job with Finn's voice that I don't think you're missing out by doing the audio.
Long story, short - I'm a fan. As both a writer and a reader✌🏼.
Writer friends- it's in verse, but it feels so FRESH. I don't know how to explain it. There was a purpose to the poems (like in Iveliz, where she is writing them in her diary), and I love how Messner incorporated so many different types of poetry while still managing to make them feel authentically written by Finn's hand.
I'm told the physical is great because of the visual component of the mixed formats (newspaper articles, recipes, etc), but Mack Gordon did such a good job with Finn's voice that I don't think you're missing out by doing the audio.
Long story, short - I'm a fan. As both a writer and a reader✌🏼.
March 13, 2025
This book would have done a lot for me at nine years old. It did a lot for me as an adult too!
May 2, 2025
If I hadn’t known, I might have thought I was reading a Gary D. Schmidt verse novel, which I mean as the highest compliment. Not quite Wednesday Wars or Lizzie Bright, but still memorable and poignant with a complicated father relationship and other adults as mentors.
Two years after the death of his father, Finn reluctantly accepts an alternative punishment for vandalism, leading to self-discovery and healing. His challenges (in addition to grief, include the 9/11 legacy, covid, and alcoholism) hit that “just right” middle grade level of being realistic and emotional without being too intense for most readers.
Most verse novels are very irritating to me, but Messner wove in a poetry assignment into the plot, and Finn turns out to be pretty good at it.
I’m a bit ashamed to say that until now I have only read Kate Messner’s picture books. Though her novels are favorites of my daughter, I (unfairly) didn’t think they were “serious literature.” I’m going to be borrowing some from her shelves to catch up now and cheering for Trouble to be recognized with a Newbery.
Two years after the death of his father, Finn reluctantly accepts an alternative punishment for vandalism, leading to self-discovery and healing. His challenges (in addition to grief, include the 9/11 legacy, covid, and alcoholism) hit that “just right” middle grade level of being realistic and emotional without being too intense for most readers.
Most verse novels are very irritating to me, but Messner wove in a poetry assignment into the plot, and Finn turns out to be pretty good at it.
I’m a bit ashamed to say that until now I have only read Kate Messner’s picture books. Though her novels are favorites of my daughter, I (unfairly) didn’t think they were “serious literature.” I’m going to be borrowing some from her shelves to catch up now and cheering for Trouble to be recognized with a Newbery.
April 27, 2025
Wow! This is such an incredible book. I experienced a gamut of emotions with Finn. Kate Messner has written a beautiful story that will hook readers from the beginning and have them root for Finn both as friend and cheerleader the whole way.
August 19, 2025
Thanks to an angry outburst in the cemetery resulting in a broken headstone, Finn is going to be spending his summer making reparations: if he can climb all 46 Adirondack Peaks, Edna's family will forgive him for the vandalism. Finn will be busy this summer, because he's also got PE and English credit to make up. He's definitely struggling, and it mostly stems back to his father's death during the COVID-19 pandemic; his dad, a first responder in New York City, was trying to save everyone but himself, just like he did on 9/11/01 when he carried a woman out of the wreckage of the Twin Towers. But the trouble with heroes, according to Finn, is that they're actually flawed people, and his dad should never have abandoned him and his mom. As Finn climbs each mountain, he comes to properly grieve his dad's loss -- and he finds himself completing more than his missing assignments.
I have heard nothing but good things about this novel in verse. I read the print version and enjoyed the varying styles of poetry, newspaper clippings, and text message threads woven together to tell a story. There were some really beautiful moments and ideas here; I love that this project connected Finn with his dad in unexpected ways.
I did feel like this was a tad on the long side; 46 peaks are a LOT of hiking to read about, particularly when they all feel kind of the same (muddy and steep).
I have heard nothing but good things about this novel in verse. I read the print version and enjoyed the varying styles of poetry, newspaper clippings, and text message threads woven together to tell a story. There were some really beautiful moments and ideas here; I love that this project connected Finn with his dad in unexpected ways.
I did feel like this was a tad on the long side; 46 peaks are a LOT of hiking to read about, particularly when they all feel kind of the same (muddy and steep).
July 9, 2025
I loved a lot of things about Trouble. Finn's sarcastic sense of humor (the automatic text message made me laugh every single time), the juxtaposition of an emotional burden with a daunting physical endeavor, and how things came together in unexpected ways were some of my favorites. Figuring out a way to grieve a parent who was put on a pedestal by strangers, but was far from perfect in their relationships with family, including their child, is messy and leaves a lot unresolved, but that's how it is in life sometimes. Coach's advice that sometimes there isn't a good way through, sometimes there's a bad way and a worse way and you've got to just pick one and get started is applicable in Finn's story and also in life. This book made me want to climb mountains and honestly, there's not much better praise from me than that.
July 1, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. A story of grief and healing. Seventh grader Finn makes the news when he kicks over a gravestone while visiting his father’s gravesite. The family of the woman whose stone he ruined decides that as punishment, he is going to hike all 46 high Adirondack peaks in her honor, with her dog along as a companion. Along the way, he grapples with his feelings about his father’s life and death, and his own place in the world and who he wants to be. Heartfelt and wonderful, hand to readers in grades 5-8. #mglit #librarian #librariansofinstagram #middleschoollibrarian #audiobook
July 23, 2025
This was a beautiful novel in verse for middle grade readers. I loved the nature and hiking plot. It would be great to show characters who change throughout the story. I think this is going to be a title adults love, but kids, especially on the younger side of middle grade, will need some adult help to process some of the sadder, more adult aspects of the book like the pandemic, 9/11, alcoholism and cremation. I think this title will definitely win some awards.
June 4, 2025
Una historia que me llenó el corazón: un adolescente buscando reencontrarse con su padre ya fallecido… mientras escala montañas y recuerdos de la mano de un perrito ❤️🩹
June 16, 2025
This book was a better read than a listen, due to poems, photos, and the interesting way the author decided to play with the dialogue. It was full of metaphors about life and getting through hard things. Very well done.
May 14, 2025
Loved the audiobook.
September 8, 2025
4.25 stars
I really enjoyed this. Makes me want to go hiking in the Adirondacks.
I really enjoyed this. Makes me want to go hiking in the Adirondacks.
July 2, 2025
I cried. I laughed. I cried more. I loved this book.
August 12, 2025
Beautiful moving story about grief and how mountains can help you heal.
June 18, 2025
This book!! I absolutely loved every minute of it. It also made me want to climb a mountain.
July 14, 2025
5 stars. Lots of poetry forms
Aptronyms
Has all summer vacation have to climb all 46
Know author has done this from her sm posts
Not my dog poem ❤️
Cookie recipes
Photos
Like the choose your own adventure parts
Love Seymour’s poem review of 3 mountains
Trouble with heroes poem
“Some things are just tough and there’s no way around the hard parts. only through. sometimes there’s no good path - Just a bad way and a worse way - so you might as well choose one and get started..”
“It’s hard not to worry when everything depends on something so totally out of your control.”
Wow ending
I forsee shiny medals in January 2026!
Aptronyms
Has all summer vacation have to climb all 46
Know author has done this from her sm posts
Not my dog poem ❤️
Cookie recipes
Photos
Like the choose your own adventure parts
Love Seymour’s poem review of 3 mountains
Trouble with heroes poem
“Some things are just tough and there’s no way around the hard parts. only through. sometimes there’s no good path - Just a bad way and a worse way - so you might as well choose one and get started..”
“It’s hard not to worry when everything depends on something so totally out of your control.”
Wow ending
I forsee shiny medals in January 2026!
July 25, 2025
A little Hank Hooperman. A little Hercules Beal.
May 19, 2025
Finn Connelly (13, white), is struggling with anger and grief after his paramedic/firefighter father's death, and now he is facing vandalism charges after kicking over the gravestone of one Edna Grace Thomas. Edna’s adult daughter, Kelly, agrees to dismiss the charges if Finn will become a “46er” this summer, someone who has hiked all 46 Adirondack mountains higher than 4,000 feet. She arranges for various 46ers to accompany him, and he has to take Edna’s old dog, Seymour, along. Finn reluctantly agrees.
He is also behind in school—he needs to complete a poetry project about heroes. When his teacher gently suggests he write about his dad, he dismisses the idea. His dad was a hero in the truest sense of the word; there is a photo of him carrying a dust-covered woman out of the rubble of a collapsed World Trade Center tower. When the pandemic began, his dad stayed behind in the Bronx to work while Finn and his mom moved to be near Finn’s grandma, who owns a chocolate shop in Lake Placid, NY. Now that his dad is dead, Finn feels some resentment that his dad was always choosing to help others rather than be with his family.
This book is well written on a sentence level, but the plot is exactly as predictable as you would expect. Finn starts off grumpy, sarcastic, and disagreeable, and the more he hikes, the more he appreciates nature, his “nannies” (the climbers who accompany him), and the dog. He writes the poems required for his project, both about his dad and nature. He also finds, in his mom’s closet, his father’s ashes, which he scatters on the peaks that his dad never got around to climbing. And he finds a bunch of letters from Edna Grace Thomas, who was the first woman 46er and kept up correspondence with anyone who wrote to her about their own attempts to become a 46er.
There’s also a subplot about Finn’s love of baking and his grandma’s failing chocolate shop; Finn decides to come up with a cookie recipe for each mountain and sell the cookies and recipe book in the shop. (Once again, a middle grade plot about a child saving a business! Enough already.) I have a strong suspicion that this is a book adults will like and kids will find completely boring. For the first half, Finn is an unpleasant character to spend time with, and in the second half, he becomes unbelievably self-aware and earnest. I just felt like I could hear the author's voice throughout the whole book. Finn also programs his phone to send an auto-reply text to his mom whenever she texts him, something like “I am not being bitten by a snake, attacked by a panther, or eaten by a bear.” The first couple of times this happened, it was really funny. After that it was just obnoxious.
Finally, in addition to Finn saving the chocolate shop, there were two events I found totally unrealistic:
He is also behind in school—he needs to complete a poetry project about heroes. When his teacher gently suggests he write about his dad, he dismisses the idea. His dad was a hero in the truest sense of the word; there is a photo of him carrying a dust-covered woman out of the rubble of a collapsed World Trade Center tower. When the pandemic began, his dad stayed behind in the Bronx to work while Finn and his mom moved to be near Finn’s grandma, who owns a chocolate shop in Lake Placid, NY. Now that his dad is dead, Finn feels some resentment that his dad was always choosing to help others rather than be with his family.
This book is well written on a sentence level, but the plot is exactly as predictable as you would expect. Finn starts off grumpy, sarcastic, and disagreeable, and the more he hikes, the more he appreciates nature, his “nannies” (the climbers who accompany him), and the dog. He writes the poems required for his project, both about his dad and nature. He also finds, in his mom’s closet, his father’s ashes, which he scatters on the peaks that his dad never got around to climbing. And he finds a bunch of letters from Edna Grace Thomas, who was the first woman 46er and kept up correspondence with anyone who wrote to her about their own attempts to become a 46er.
There’s also a subplot about Finn’s love of baking and his grandma’s failing chocolate shop; Finn decides to come up with a cookie recipe for each mountain and sell the cookies and recipe book in the shop. (Once again, a middle grade plot about a child saving a business! Enough already.) I have a strong suspicion that this is a book adults will like and kids will find completely boring. For the first half, Finn is an unpleasant character to spend time with, and in the second half, he becomes unbelievably self-aware and earnest. I just felt like I could hear the author's voice throughout the whole book. Finn also programs his phone to send an auto-reply text to his mom whenever she texts him, something like “I am not being bitten by a snake, attacked by a panther, or eaten by a bear.” The first couple of times this happened, it was really funny. After that it was just obnoxious.
Finally, in addition to Finn saving the chocolate shop, there were two events I found totally unrealistic:
May 10, 2025
Finn knows what he did was wrong. He was angry—so angry that he kicked a tombstone, and it broke. That moment didn’t begin his anger, but it definitely intensified it, setting the tone for a summer filled with consequences. As reparations, instead of paying for a replacement, the family of the deceased asks Finn to complete a daunting task: climb the 46 High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains—with a drooly dog that isn’t even his.
This novel in verse by Kate Messner took me completely by surprise. The sheer depth of themes and emotional weight packed into its pages is remarkable. It’s a story of grief, healing, reckoning, and growth—told in poetry that is both powerful and accessible. I wept more than once. Messner captures so much action, reflection, and emotional nuance in verse that I’d forget I was reading poetry—until a shift in form reminded me again: this is art.
What really sets this novel apart is how it weaves major historical moments like 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic into Finn’s personal journey. As someone who lived through those events, it was cathartic to see them rendered in such a deeply human, middle-grade voice. Messner gets it right—the small details, the raw feelings—and the result is a book that heals as it tells.
Of course, we know from the outset that Finn’s assignment will lead to growth. That’s the arc we expect. But it’s how she gets him there—the poetry, the honesty, the humanity—that makes this book so surprising and lovely. Finn is so real, so knowable, and readers will find pieces of themselves in his journey.
I cannot say enough good things about this novel. I’ll be recommending it to every child, every adult, every reader I know. Give Kate Messner all the awards.
This novel in verse by Kate Messner took me completely by surprise. The sheer depth of themes and emotional weight packed into its pages is remarkable. It’s a story of grief, healing, reckoning, and growth—told in poetry that is both powerful and accessible. I wept more than once. Messner captures so much action, reflection, and emotional nuance in verse that I’d forget I was reading poetry—until a shift in form reminded me again: this is art.
What really sets this novel apart is how it weaves major historical moments like 9/11 and the COVID-19 pandemic into Finn’s personal journey. As someone who lived through those events, it was cathartic to see them rendered in such a deeply human, middle-grade voice. Messner gets it right—the small details, the raw feelings—and the result is a book that heals as it tells.
Of course, we know from the outset that Finn’s assignment will lead to growth. That’s the arc we expect. But it’s how she gets him there—the poetry, the honesty, the humanity—that makes this book so surprising and lovely. Finn is so real, so knowable, and readers will find pieces of themselves in his journey.
I cannot say enough good things about this novel. I’ll be recommending it to every child, every adult, every reader I know. Give Kate Messner all the awards.
June 15, 2025
Taking place on the 46 High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains in my home state of New York, this middle-grade novel was powerful, moving, and brutally true. Seventh-grader, Finn is struggling with the loss of his heroic father, who served as a rescuer and EMT on 9/11, at the crumbling Twin Towers. If that weren’t enough to destroy his spirit with PTSD, when COVID-19 hit, his dad again spent every day rescuing sick people while Finn and his mom went far upstate to Lake Placid to help his grandmother. Feeling abandoned and bitterly angry, Finn acts out at school inappropriately. Especially when he learns his dad is never coming home to them. A fabulous novel in verse that gets his 13 year-old voice pitch-perfect as Finn deals with crushing grief, frustration, and rage; climbing the 46 High Peaks as an act of restitution turns out to have magnificent healing powers in the mountains themselves. Since the author herself is a 46-R, authenticity and raw teen angst sets this novel apart. Recommend it to a teen/tween near you with confidence that no BS will be found in its pages, but it is replete with stunning language, poetry, and truth.
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