"High school junior Joel Higgins grapples with the aftermath of a tragic loss as he tries to make sense of the problems he sees all around him with the help of banned books, Winnie-the-Pooh, a field of asparagus, and many pairs of socks"--

Ever since the thing that happened, there are certain people Joel Higgins hasn't been able to talk to in person. Sure, he shows up at school, does his mandatory volunteer hours at the soup kitchen, and spends pretty much every moment thinking about Eli, the most amazing girl in the world. But that doesn't mean he's keeping it together, or even that he has any friends. He's drafted 901 text messages-- but never presses send. But as Joel spends more time with Eli and Benj, he forms bonds with the people they serve at the soup kitchen ... and begins to understand that the world is bigger than his own pain. -- adapted from jacket.