# Why We Broke Up > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Why_We_Broke_Up > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Why_We_Broke_Up.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_We_Broke_Up > Source revision: 1354697780 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 2011 novel by Daniel Handler Why We Broke Up Author Daniel Handler Illustrator Maira Kalman Language English Genre Contemporary fiction, Romance, young adult fiction Publisher Little, Brown and Company Publication date December 2011 Publication place United States Media type Print (Hardcover) Pages 368 ISBN 978-0-316-12725-7 ***Why We Broke Up*** is a [novel](/source/Novel) written by [Daniel Handler](/source/Daniel_Handler) and illustrated by artist and designer [Maira Kalman](/source/Maira_Kalman). It received a [Michael L. Printz Honor](/source/Michael_L._Printz_Award#Recipients) and a feature film starring [Hailee Steinfeld](/source/Hailee_Steinfeld) was in the works, and was meant to be released in early 2014.[1] ## Plot summary Min Green and Ed Slaterton, a high school junior and senior [basketball](/source/Basketball) [jock](/source/Jock_(athlete)), respectively, ended their relationship, which lasted from October 5 to November 12. The story [takes the form of a letter](/source/Epistolary_novel), with Min writing to Ed explaining why they had broken up. The letter accompanies a box full of minor objects that narrates the progress of their relationship, and is returned to Ed at the end of the letter. The box includes two [bottle caps](/source/Bottle_cap), a movie ticket, a [lobby ticket](/source/Film_poster#Lobby_ticket), a box of matches, a [pinhole camera](/source/Pinhole_camera), a folded note, a [rubber band](/source/Rubber_band), a high school [pennant](/source/Pennon), a toy truck, a [recipe book](/source/Recipe_book) (*Real Recipes from Tinseltown*), Pensieri, a fictional liquor (and [Italian](/source/Italian_language) for "thoughts"), a [protractor](/source/Protractor), a [file](/source/File_(tool)), a concert ticket, an egg cuber ("makes a square egg"), a [polaroid](/source/Instant_film), a comb from a motel room, a pair of ugly earrings, and several other items collected over the course of their relationship. Item after item is illustrated, accounted for, and placed in the box to be dumped—like an ex-girlfriend—on his front porch. ## Promotion This book was promoted on [Tumblr](/source/Tumblr) at the ["Why We Broke Up Project"](https://whywebrokeupproject.tumblr.com/), where people can submit their own break-up stories. Handler interviewed people at [Grand Central Station](/source/Grand_Central_Terminal) in New York City about their experiences with break-ups.[2] ## Reception Monica Edinger, a fourth-grade teacher at [The Dalton School](/source/The_Dalton_School), praises the book, a "silken, bittersweet tale of adolescent heartache", in *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*, noting his "remarkable presentation of an adolescent girl's point of view". She also describes the effect of the many "superbly" made-up films that Min references, which leads readers to "feel certain they must really exist".[3] Brian Truitt of *[USA Today](/source/USA_Today)* claims that the book should not have the "[young adult](/source/Young_adult_fiction)" label because "writer Daniel Handler and illustrator Maira Kalman will connect with anyone who has ever had an ex. And really, that's a whole lot of us".[4] Amy Benfer, writing for barnesandnoblereview.com, commends Maira Kalman's "sly, beautifully produced illustrations", which are found throughout the novel.[5] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Hailee Steinfeld to Explain WHY WE BROKE UP"](https://www.movies.ie/hailee-steinfeld-to-explain-why-we-broke-up/). *Movies.ie*. Retrieved August 12, 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-ypm_2-0)** McEnroe, Colin (February 4, 2013). ["Daniel Handler Explains 'Why We Broke Up'"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130217173543/http://www.yourpublicmedia.org/content/wnpr/daniel-handler-explains-why-we-broke). *Your Public Media*. Archived from the original on February 17, 2013. Retrieved March 2, 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-nyt_3-0)** Edinger, Monica (December 16, 2011). ["Daniel Handler's Teenagers Out of Love"](https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/18/books/review/why-we-broke-up-by-daniel-handler-illustrated-by-maira-kalman-book-review.html?_r=0). *The New York Times*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-truitt_4-0)** Truitt, Brian (January 30, 2012). ["Daniel Handler's 'Why We Broke Up' Explores Young Love"](http://books.usatoday.com/book/daniel-handler-and-maira-kalman-why-we-broke-up/r616604). *USA Today*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-benfer_5-0)** Benfer, Amy (February 6, 2012). ["In Brief: Why We Broke Up"](http://bnreview.barnesandnoble.com/t5/In-Brief/Why-We-Broke-Up/ba-p/6869). *Barnes and Noble Review*. ## External links - [Children and Young Adult Literature portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Children_and_Young_Adult_Literature) - [Official page](https://whywebrokeupproject.tumblr.com) on [Tumblr](/source/Tumblr_(identifier)) - [Daniel Handler's official website](http://www.danielhandler.com/) v t e Works of Daniel Handler Novels The Basic Eight Watch Your Mouth Adverbs Why We Broke Up We Are Pirates Screenplays Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (source material) Rick Kill the Poor See also Lemony Snicket Authority control databases International VIAF Other Open Library --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Why We Broke Up](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_We_Broke_Up) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Why_We_Broke_Up?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.