How to Say Goodbye in Robot

New to town, Beatrice is expecting her new best friend to be one of the girls she meets on the first day. But instead, the alphabet conspires to seat her next to Jonah, aka Ghost Boy, a quiet loner who hasn't made a new friend since third grade. Something about him, though, gets to Bea, and soon they form an unexpected friendship. It's not romance, exactly - but it's definitely love. Still, Bea can't quite dispel Jonah's gloom and doom - and as she finds out his family history, she understands why. Can Bea help Jonah? Or is he destined to vanish?

Praise for How to Say Goodbye in Robot:

A Kirkus Best Young Adult Book of 2009

* "An honest and complex depiction of a meaningful platonic friendship that doesn't gloss over troubling issues....Teens will identify with the intense emotions of Beatrice and Jonah, the reasons they are drawn to each other, and the ups and downs of their relationship....Outstanding." - School Library Journal, starred review

* "Bea's original first-person voice will draw readers in, and the unexpected plot will keep them engaged. A decidedly purposeful not-love story, this has all the makings of a cult hit with a flavor similar to Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Sweet, sad, wonderfully quirky, and delightfully original, Natalie Standiford's beautifully honest book made me laugh in surprise, nod in understanding, and wish that I were part robot so that my heart would stop breaking." - Libba Bray, author of A Great and Terrible Beauty

"Dial in to this moving book. It's not like anything you've read before. I loved it." - Rachel Cohn, author of Gingerbread and coauthor of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist