World Made of Glass

Ages 10 to 14, Grades 5 to 9

A heartbreaking, heart-mending novel of love, grief, friendship, and community.  

March 1987. The FDA has just approved AZT as the first drug to treat AIDS. But it's too late for Iris’s dad. He’s dying, confined to a hospital bed in the apartment he shares with his boyfriend, J.R. (who Iris hates), four floors above Iris and her mom. Soon, all Iris has left of her kind, loving dad are memories, photos, and a binder full of the poems they used to exchange.

As Iris navigates her rage and grief, she resolves to speak out against the rampant fear, misinformation, and prejudice surrounding AIDS—and find the pieces of Dad that she never knew before. In the process, she discovers surprising sides to J.R., the joy of true friendship, and the power of her own voice in school and at home.

Award-winning author Ami Polonsky has crafted a lyrical, tender, earth-shattering novel that will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

About the Author

Ami Polonsky is a reading and writing tutor, mother to two children, and author, among other things. A former Language Arts teacher and literacy coach, she remains passionate about guiding children toward a love of books and helping create lifetime readers. Ami lives outside of Chicago with her family. She can be found online at     

@amipolonsky on Instagram.