Published: 2025
Author: Holly Kennedy
Genre: Fiction / Mystery / Humor / Social Justice
Audience: Grades 11–12, Adult
Number of Stars: ★★★★★ (5/5)
Goodreads Link: The Sideways Life of Denny Voss
Content Warnings: Gun violence, bullying, sexual assault, police brutality, and ableism.
Publisher’s Summary
A man who is defined by his limitations sets out to fight a murder charge—and discovers unexpected truths about himself, his family, and the world at large.
On the surface, Denny Voss’s life in rural Minnesota is a quiet one. At thirty years old, he lives at home with his elderly mother and his beloved blind and deaf Saint Bernard, George. He cleans up roadkill to help pay the bills. Though his prospects are limited by a developmental delay—the result of an accident at birth—Denny has always felt that he has “a good life.”
So how did he wind up being charged with the murder of a mayoral candidate—after crashing a sled full of guns into a tree?
As Denny awaits trial, his court-appointed therapist walks him through the events of the past year. Denny’s had other scuffles with the law, the first for kidnapping a neighbor’s cantankerous goose. And then there was the time he accidentally assisted in a bank robbery. It seems like whenever Denny tries to do the right thing, chaos ensues.
Untangling the events around the murder reveals even more painful truths about his family’s past. He’s always been surrounded by people who love him, but now it’s up to Denny to set his life on a new course.
Review
The Sideways Life of Denny Voss will make you laugh, cry, and read a little slower so Denny’s story never ends! It is the story of a thirty-year-old neurodivergent man from rural Minnesota. Denny lives a simple life full of love with his grandmother, Nana Jo, his dog George, and his cousin Angus. Denny may struggle to understand anything that is not literal; however, the one thing he understands better than most is what it means to be a good person.
Denny works for the DOT cleaning roadkill. He is a hard worker who follows the rules, but his life takes a dramatic turn when he does something he thinks is right that turns out to be very wrong. He is arrested for the murder of the town’s mayoral candidate. As Denny works with an attorney and a therapist, painful family secrets are revealed.
The reader sees the “real” Denny Voss—kind, honest, and determined—while witnessing how misunderstood he is by a society that often stereotypes those with disabilities. Even though his life sometimes goes “sideways,” it has profound meaning and purpose. The author emphasizes the importance of approaching others with empathy and understanding rather than judgment. Major themes include identity, justice, resilience, and the power of community.
🎒 Classroom & Curricular Connections
- ELA (Character & Voice):
- Activity Idea: Write a “blurb” for the back of the book or a “Dear Denny” letter asking him for life advice. Have students respond to a problem as if they are Denny, using his literal but positive perspective.
- Creative Writing: Write a “One Year Later” chapter from Denny’s perspective to explore his continued growth.
- Art (Visual Narratives):
- Activity Idea: Tell a portion of Denny’s story using only graphics or drawings. Alternatively, create a “Perspective Drawing” or a vision board that illustrates what it means for a life to go “sideways.”
- Psychology & Health (Support Systems):
- Activity Idea: Research and present on coping mechanisms for trauma and grief. Discuss the support systems available in your school/community for individuals with developmental delays.
- Social Studies (Social Justice & Law):
- Activity Idea: Use Denny’s arrest to discuss the rights of the accused and how “police brutality” or systemic bias affects those who cannot easily advocate for themselves.
- SEL (Empathy & Impact):
- Activity Idea: Journaling Exercise: Reflect on how your individual actions impact your community. How can we move past stereotypes to see the “valuable” contributions of every neighbor?
