The Day I Was Erased

About this book

"Sometimes I think everyone would be better off if I'd never existed in the first place."

Nothing's going right for Maxwell Beckett. He's being blamed for his best friend's bloody nose -- it was an accident! -- his parents can't stop shouting at each other, and he just broke his neighbor's bright pink flamingo lawn ornament. So when Maxwell turns off the power in his school during a giant fundraiser, it's the last straw. He's sure that now the whole town hates him.

Maxwell is sick and tired of getting things wrong. He wishes he had never been born. And then... his wish comes true.

He's been erased.

Though Maxwell can walk through the world, nobody recognizes him. Even his own parents don't know him! Every impact he's ever had on his town is gone. But the world might not actually be a better place without Maxwell in it. Can he find a way back in, or is it too late?

With echoes of It's a Wonderful Life, this is a humorous and poignant book about the positive impact each of us has on our community and on the people who love us.

Reviews

Praise for The Light Jar:

"A thoughtful and hugely empathetic book: a consolation for readers who, for whatever reason, might be feeling a little out of place in the world." -- The Guardian

"Tense and threaded with mystery... Thompson adeptly draws the storylines into a cohesive whole that rewards readers with a satisfyingly hard-won resolution." -- Booklist

"This is an emotionally resonant story of loss, fear, and the development of inner fortitude... This is the kind of book that will matter most to kids facing loss and family disruption themselves, letting them know that imagination is a useful tool for developing courage in difficult times and that sometimes you need to go back in time in order to move forward." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"A witty and courageous book. Carefully and beautifully written, this is a book that will appeal to readers who enjoyed Ann M. Martin's Rain Reign and David Almond's Skellig." -- School Library Journal


Praise for The Goldfish Boy:

* "Thompson strikes the perfect balance, seemingly without compromise, between an issue-driven novel and one with broad, commercial appeal. This empathetic debut is a middle-grade whodunit with a very special heart." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A multilayered mystery at once suspenseful and heartrending." -- Booklist

"The novel successfully weaves Matthew's personal struggle with obsessive-compulsive disorder and the search for the missing toddler into a compelling story with a hearty dose of mystery and adventure." -- School Library Journal

"This book is filled with intriguing characters and tragic, mysterious pasts. Thompson has created a modern teenage tale interwoven with classic literary themes like loss, guilt, neglect, and loneliness. This is a story for everyone, featuring mystery, drama, and enough realism to inspire students to research and understand the complexities of the mind." -- School Library Connection

"Heart and humor, along with a strong message about the value of family, friends and facing fears... make this assured debut stand out." -- Observer

"Both a genuine mystery and an emotionally charged examination of fear and loneliness, this is a terrific read with warmly engaging characters." -- Daily Mail

"This carefully judged, poignant story should help those with OCD feel less alone -- and help others to understand the impulses behind painful acts of repetition." -- Guardian

"A genuinely clever mystery." -- Robin Stevens, author of the Murder Most Unladylike series

"A great cast of characters and an intriguing mystery -- I loved it!" -- Ross Welford, author of Time Travelling with a Hamster