Protected

July 15, 2017
When your sister dies, your life is supposed to get worse. But how should you feel if it actually gets a little better?When Katie dies, Hannah is left to navigate high school on her own, without her older sister's advice and interference. And the torment that has followed the young white woman since freshman year disappears. No one wants to bully the girl whose sister was killed in an accident. But Hannah finds that life at school still isn't good, and life at home is almost intolerable. Her dad is broken in both body and spirit as he struggles to heal from his own injuries, struggling even more to grapple with the fact that he might be at fault for his daughter's death. And Hannah's mother can't seem to leave the house. Will the family be able to fully recover and stay a family? Zorn treats the issue of bullying with brutal realism, which provides a gritty contrast to the new landscape Hannah finds herself in. Though the book tackles important issues, it reaches far beyond these flash points into a fully developed exploration of the aftermath of tragedy through strong characterization and genuine emotional appeal. Amid loss, depression, and futility, a sense of hope manages to permeate the narrative. A story that defies the "dead sister" genre and questions the very structure of familial relationships. (Fiction. 14-18)

COPYRIGHT(2017) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from September 4, 2017
High school has been a nightmare for 15-year-old Hannah McCann: awkward and vulnerable, she’s become the target of cruel taunts and pranks. Hannah has also lost her best friend to a group of popular girls, and she receives little support from her social-climbing older sister, Katie, who thinks Hannah needs to stop taking “everything so seriously.” Instead of following her sister’s advice, Hannah withdraws. When Katie is killed in a car accident, and the teasing at school abruptly stops, Hannah retreats even further, overwhelmed by a combination of relief and sorrow. In so doing, she almost misses the opportunity to find a true friend in new student Josh, who is determined to draw her out into the world. In this frank tale of a teenager’s complicated feelings and emotional defenses, Australian author Zorn shows the devastating effects of bullying while affectingly tracing Hannah’s spiritual journey, coming to terms with truths she doesn’t want to face and learning how to trust. Although much of the novel is tinged with sadness, there are meaningful flickers of hope as Hannah gains courage and strength. Ages 14–up.

September 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-As the awkward and unpopular younger sister, Hannah lives in her older sister's shadow and faces relentless bullying from the students in her high school. While Hannah endures verbal and physical abuse, property theft and destruction, and online attempts to slander and demean her character, her older sister Katie ignores the bullying, and at times even blames Hannah for the harassment. Suddenly, the torture ends. When Hannah returns to school after Katie's death, her former bullies, who are also Katie's friends, not only leave Hannah alone but attempt to befriend her. At home, Hannah's mother hasn't left the house in almost a year and her father struggles with emotional and physical pain resulting from the car accident that took Katie's life. Alone, invisible and grieving, Hannah's feelings of betrayal and guilt are noticed by her school counselor who, unlike her other therapists, uses honesty and humor to help Hannah find her voice. At the same time, a new friend, Josh Chamberlain, encourages Hannah to see herself for who she really is; an interesting, thoughtful and beautiful young woman. The plot moves along at a compulsively readable pace. Teens will suffer with Hannah as she is cruelly harassed and feels helpless to stop it. They will cry with her when she loses her best friend, her identity and then her sister. And they will experience her relief as she rediscovers friendship and confidence in herself. VERDICT This complex, emotional, and discussable title is a first purchase.-Lynn Rashid, Marriotts Ridge High School, Marriottsville, MD

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2017
Grades 8-11 It's been almost a year since the car accident that killed Hannah's older sister, Katie. But Katie's voice still makes snarky remarks in Hannah's head, and her bedroom is an untouched shrine in their home. Before Katie's death, bookish Hannah was the target of bullies at their high school. Now that Hannah is the sister of a dead girl, however, her classmates keep their distance, offering Hannah a kind of protection that a living Katie never afforded. Zorn's portrayal of a complicated relationship between sisters who are close in age but very different in personality is believable, as is the morass of guilt and anger that has enveloped Hannah's family. Hannah was in the car, driven by their father, at the time of the accident, but she can't remember those final moments that could place her father at fault. With the help of an excellent counselor and a new friend, Hannah gradually gains the courage to face the truth of the accident. Originally published in Australia, this character-driven novel should satisfy fans of Fiona Wood.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)