A Heart in a Body in the World

Name: A Heart in a Body in the World
Author: Deb Caletti

Deb Caletti · 2025

Literary fiction

Banned in 1 country

About this book

“This is one for the ages.” —Gayle Forman, author of the #1 bestseller If I Stay “A book everyone should read right now.” —The New York Times Book Review “A vital and heartbreaking story that brings together the #MeToo movement, the effects of gun violence, and the struggle of building oneself up again after crisis.” —Elle “Equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful.” —BookPage A Printz Honor Book Each step in Annabelle’s 2,700-mile cross-country run brings her closer to facing a trauma from her past in National Book Award finalist Deb Caletti’s novel about the heart, all the ways it breaks, and its journey to healing. Because sometimes against our will, against all odds, we go forward. Then… Annabelle’s life wasn’t perfect, but it was full—full of friends, family, love. And a boy…whose attention Annabelle found flattering and unsettling all at once. Until that attention intensified. Now… Annabelle is running. Running from the pain and the tragedy from the past year. With only Grandpa Ed and the journal she fills with words she can’t speak out loud, Annabelle runs from Seattle to Washington, DC and toward a destination she doesn’t understand but is determined to reach. With every beat of her heart, every stride of her feet, Annabelle steps closer to healing—and the strength she discovers within herself to let love and hope back into her life. Annabelle’s journey is the ultimate testament to the human heart, and how it goes on after being broken.

Censorship history

In 2025, "A Heart in a Body in the World" by Deb Caletti was banned at the school level in several districts across the United States due to its political content and depictions of violence. The book faced challenges from parents and local advocacy groups, leading to school board votes that upheld the bans in some areas. Notably, the book was contested in various PTA meetings, reflecting ongoing debates about its appropriateness in educational settings. As of now, the ban remains upheld in certain districts, while discussions about its reinstatement continue in others.