Dear Evan Hansen

The musical itself is an experience. But with this novel, they were able to flesh out the characters and bring a whole new life to the musical. It's beautiful and heart-wrenching and shows a lot of Evan's — and others characters' — actions in a new light. Even if you've seen (or listened to, because it's so good, ohmygod) the musical 100,000 times, this book enhances it 10-fold. I've read over it twice, and it's so, so good. Even if you haven't heard of the musical, it's an insightful look into the mind of someone with anxiety and the lengths we go to, not just to fit in, but to feel like we belong. The book stands on its own wonderfully. Don't be surprised if it makes you cry once or twice. Recommended By Adrianna S., Powells.com

From the show’s creators comes the groundbreaking novel inspired by the hit Broadway show Dear Evan Hansen.

Dear Evan Hansen,

Today’s going to be an amazing day and here’s why…

When a letter that was never meant to be seen by anyone draws high school senior Evan Hansen into a family’s grief over the loss of their son, he is given the chance of a lifetime: to belong. He just has to stick to a lie he never meant to tell, that the notoriously troubled Connor Murphy was his secret best friend.

Suddenly, Evan isn’t invisible anymore — even to the girl of his dreams. And Connor Murphy’s parents, with their beautiful home on the other side of town, have taken him in like he was their own, desperate to know more about their enigmatic son from his closest friend. As Evan gets pulled deeper into their swirl of anger, regret, and confusion, he knows that what he’s doing can’t be right, but if he’s helping people, how wrong can it be?

No longer tangled in his once-incapacitating anxiety, this new Evan has a purpose. And a website. He’s confident. He’s a viral phenomenon. Every day is amazing. Until everything is in danger of unraveling and he comes face to face with his greatest obstacle: himself.

A simple lie leads to complicated truths in this big-hearted coming-of-age story of grief, authenticity, and the struggle to belong in an age of instant connectivity and profound isolation.

"Even in book form, Evan Hansen's story sings. Required reading, especially for anyone who's ever needed to be found." Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Leah on the Offbeat

"Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel is a terrific reinvention of an already brilliant piece of art. It's real and it's definitely going to speak to readers of all ages." Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper and A Spark of Light

"[A] particularly authentic first-person narration about family dynamics, the importance of kindness, and the horrors of not fitting in at high school....A must-read." Publishers Weekly

"Today is going to be an amazing day, and here's why: because you're holding this book. The exact opposite of meh, Dear Evan Hansen is a powerful exploration of grief and depression and the many ways we're present (or not) for those around us without always knowing it." David Arnold, New York Times bestselling author of Kids of Appetite, Mosquitoland, and The Strange Fascinations of Noah Hypnotik

Val Emmich is a writer, singer-songwriter, and actor. He has had recurring roles on Vinyl and Ugly Betty as well as a memorable guest role as Liz Lemon’s coffee-boy fling, Jamie, on 30 Rock. His debut novel, The Reminders, was a B&N Discover selection that Library Journal called “quirky, touching and addictive.”

Steven Levenson is the Tony Award-winning playwright of Dear Evan Hansen. Other plays include Days of Rage, If I Forget, The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin, and The Language of Trees. In television, he worked for three seasons as a writer and producer on Showtime’s Masters of Sex. Upcoming projects include the limited series Fosse/Verdon (FX) and the film adaptation of Jonathan Larson’s tick, tick…boom!

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are the Oscar®, Grammy, Tony, and Golden Globe-winning songwriting team behind the Broadway musicals Dear Evan Hansen and A Christmas Story, The Musical. Their film projects include: The Greatest Showman, La La Land and Trolls, as well as the upcoming live action musicals Snow White and Aladdin and original animated musical Foster.