And Then, Boom!

Written by Lisa Fipps, And Then, Boom! (2024) is a middle-grade novel-in-verse that follows a poverty-stricken 11-year-old boy named Joey Oak, whose unreliable mother leaves him in the care of his loving Grandmum. When Grandmum suddenly dies, Joey tries to fend for himself in an attempt to avoid foster care. His experiences allow the author to focus on Addressing the Social Stigma of Poverty and illustrating The Impact of Food Insecurity and Children’s Resilience amid Hardship.

Lisa Fipps’s first novel-in-verse, Starfish, won 13 awards and was selected for 45 different state awards or book lists. Fipps was formerly a journalist and credits her experience in this field for giving her the tools she needed to tell incisive stories. She makes it a point to visit schools across the country and has spoken with thousands of children about her novels.

This study guide refers to the 2024 eBook published by Nancy Paulsen Books.

Content Warning: Both the source material and this guide feature depictions of child abuse and abandonment, emotional abuse, and trauma due to extreme poverty.

Plot Summary

Eleven-year-old Joey Oak lives with his English Grandmum somewhere in a tornado-prone region of the United States. They have a close, loving relationship even though they struggle with poverty. Joey’s mother often exhibits unstable behavior and gets what Joey calls “the itch”: a sudden urge to leave without warning. Most recently, she became involved in an unspecified legal and financial issue that Joey refers to as “the mess with Mom” (30). Grandmum had to sell her house in order to pay for Mom’s bail and legal fees. Joey wistfully thinks of that house as the “Gingerbread House.” Now, Joey and Grandmum live in Grandmum’s car. Joey struggles with the necessity of washing in public bathrooms, and he wishes for a more stable home.

Joey tries to keep their situation a secret, but his friend Nick notices what is happening and helps them to move into a mobile home in the mobile home park where he lives. The owner of the park, Uncle Frankie, is an immediate pillar of support and considers all the residents “family.” Uncle Frankie helps Joey and Grandmum furnish their new home and fill their car with gas when they run out. Joey’s friends, Nick and Hakeem, continue to support him, discreetly providing food and other supplies without making Joey feel ashamed. Joey’s teacher, Mrs. Swan, also provides free snacks and supplies, making school a safe space for Joey. Grandmum works hard cleaning offices, but they often run out of essentials by the middle of the month. Despite these hardships, Joey feels safe and cared for in Grandmum’s presence. 

As time goes on, Grandmum begins to experience stomachaches but cannot find the time or money to go the doctor. One day, Joey returns home from school and discovers that his mother has returned. She takes Joey to the hospital, where he learns that Grandmum has suddenly died from a stomach aneurysm. Joey’s mother is now responsible for him, but he constantly worries that she will get “the itch” and leave him again. Before long, she disappears in the middle of the night. Remembering Nick’s bad experience in foster care, Joey decides not to tell anyone about his situation. Hoping that his mother will come back, he hides the truth from adults and lies about his mother’s whereabouts, hoping that she will come home.

Joey manages to get by with help from his friends, his school, and some community members, but his situation becomes more precarious when summer break begins. Without access to school meals and with his friends leaving town, he has even fewer resources. One day, he notices a family of dogs abandoned in the mobile home park, and even though he has very little himself, he begins to care for them. These dogs, which he calls the Luckies, become his only companions.

As the weeks go on, Joey’s electricity and gas are shut off. He begins to starve and struggles to stay safe, turning to dumpster-diving and even eating dog food out of desperation. Joey wants to tell Uncle Frankie what is going on, but every time he has an opportunity to do so, he feels compelled to lie about his mother’s whereabouts.

One afternoon, a tornado develops and starts moving toward the mobile home park. Joey does not have enough time to run to safety with the Luckies, so he zips them into his backpack and ties himself to an oak tree. When the storm winds sever the rope, Joey flies through the air and imagines that he is Superman. He gets seriously injured, and his home is destroyed. His moment of flight is caught on camera by a journalist, who then interviews him for the news, and Joey can no longer hide what has been happening. His mother’s abandonment is reported on TV, and the authorities get involved.

Joey is placed in foster care with a kind family, the Davisons, who also take in his dogs. In their care, he begins to feel safe again. Slowly, he starts to open up about his experiences and begins the process of healing from the trauma he has endured.