Family and death
The protagonist of this tale, Macy, is suffering the death of her father, which brings up two serious thematic questions: the question of family, and the question of death. What does family mean? If Macy's dad died, does that mean that she is now missing something essential that only he could have provided her? With the pain that she feels, it's hard not to slip into those doubts and worries, and she longs for someone to share with. What does death mean? What does it mean that a father can be alive and then dead? Macy struggles to cope with the truth of human suffering, and only by finding family in her friendships does she learn the answer—human love is always available through sacrificing for one's friends, and it is more powerful than death.
Popularity and joy
Macy notices early in the book that she is unpopular at least in part because she is unhappy. Because everyone knows about her father, it is hard for people to know how to connect with her, and besides all that, kids like hanging out with happy kids. She struggles to find her own self-respect and self-esteem, because her pain feels permanent, and it is limiting her social success. By learning about other friends, and understanding their pain and frustration in life, she sees that her situation, although it is unique, is not a permanent obstacle in her relationships. She can be happy one day! And she can love herself while she mourns.
Friendship
Ultimately, the value of the novel is in Macy's relationships to Wes and Kristy. They are not easy friendships, but they are meaningful, and the daily drama of getting to know each other gives her something real to cling to in her emotional life. She can continue having new experiences, it seems, even though the pain of her father's death seems so overwhelming and permanent. She learns that other people are fascinating, and by learning to be in close relationships with others, she sees that her "family" can include anyone she loves.
