Holding Up the Universe Summary
Jennifer Niven

Holding Up the Universe Overview

In the teen romance Holding up the Universe by Jennifer Niven, Martin Van Buren High School juniors Libby Strout and Jack Masselin are both living in fear. Libby is haunted by the taunts of a childhood bully who told her she would never be loved because she was overweight. Jack's fear is that people will learn his secret, that his brain was damaged by a fall when he was six. He is no longer able to recognize faces. Libby and Jack collide, literally, when Jack grabs her in the cafeteria as he appears to be participating in a hateful game of bullying. Themes in the novel include the effects of bullying, seeing beyond physical appearances, and the power of the written word.