After

January 18, 2010
This bittersweet book follows 16-year-old Lacey Mann, who feels responsible for the car accident that killed her father 10 months earlier. “A hundred times a day, I thought about how different life would be if I hadn't insisted on taking those extra moments in the bathroom,” she thinks. Well-meaning Lacey wants to help her mother and brothers cope, but the family is disconnected in their grieving. What's more, her focus on her family has prevented her from dealing with her own emotions or forgiving herself. When a classmate's mother dies, Lacey is inspired to start a club for students whose parents have passed away. Harmel (When You Wish
) wrote about such a group for People
magazine, where she is a longtime contributor, which inspired this book. Her depictions of the forms grief takes are realistically wide-ranging, including self-blame, anger, and alcohol abuse. For Lacey, a relationship with a boy named Sam helps her confront her feelings and finally begin to move forward. Though the book is sometimes overly sentimental, its lessons about family, friendship, loss, and the enduring power of love should stick with readers. Ages 12–up.

March 1, 2010
Gr 8-10-After Lacey Mann's father dies in a car accident, her mother becomes absorbed in her work, her younger brother seldom speaks, and her older brother turns to alcohol. Unlike her family, Lacey stays strong, becoming the responsible adult of the house. Her social responsibility translates to school where she establishes a club for students who have also lost a parent. The club creates a place for these teens to just hang out and feel normal, as well as to share their experiences, and she's surprised when her new boyfriend shows up and informs the group that his father is dead. While the book's message is sincere, the execution is stereotypical at best. Lacey's thoughts and interactions make her a one-dimensional character. At some points she surrounds herself only with others who have deceased parents, isolating her story from reality. Higher-quality, timeless books with superior plots and character development cover the same subject matter."Mary-Brook J. Todd, The Ensworth School, Nashville, TN"

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