How Not to Disappear

January 15, 2017
A long-lost great-aunt, a positive pregnancy test, and a road trip across England.Hattie's friend and bad-boy crush, Reuben, is summering at his dad's place on the French Riviera. The white teen's snark-filled email exchanges with Reuben never mention her terrifying secret: she's pregnant, a consequence of that surprising night when Reuben fed Hattie a line about how no one else understood him like she did. Fate throws Hattie a lifeline for avoiding her own problems with a call about a great-aunt she'd never heard of. Gloria's not the sweet, kindly, sickly old lady of Hattie's imagination; she's a champagne-swilling, cigarillo-smoking, thrice-divorced former actress in the early stages of dementia. The odd couple sets off on a car journey through the landscape of Gloria's fading--and unhappy--memories. Despite references to Thelma and Louise reinforced by dark foreshadowing about cliffs, the road trip primarily serves as the setting for an internal journey. Through interludes told from Gloria's point of view, in which her fading recent memory gives way to revelations of her painful history, Hattie learns a family history packed with hard truths: white Gloria's romance with black Sam in a racist 1950s family; a violently abusive father; a pregnancy at 17. As their friendship grows, Hattie struggles with the decision she herself needs to make. Gorgeous, compelling, and painful, though subtle as a brick--or a baby. (Fiction. 14-17)

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January 1, 2017

Gr 9 Up-Hattie's summer has begun with an unexpected event: she's pregnant, and her best friend Reuben is the father. The problem is that Reuben has disappeared to travel the world, and Hattie doesn't know how to tell him the news. Her other best friend, Kat, is in Edinburgh with her new girlfriend and seems to be too busy to share in Hattie's dilemma. Suddenly, Gloria, the great-aunt Hattie didn't even know existed, comes rushing into Hattie's life with her flurry of wild outfits, a fondness for drink, and some dramatic secrets. Gloria has been diagnosed with dementia, so she enlists Hattie to drive her to locations from her past in order to reconcile herself with her memories before she forgets. What Hattie doesn't know is that this strange road trip into Gloria's past just may be the key to Hattie's future. Hattie's voice is quirky but relatable, and through her, we see the difficulties she faces as she contemplates a decision that will alter her life forever. The odd bond between Gloria and Hattie is humorously depicted, believable, and touching, especially at the story's climax. Teens will enjoy the unique characters, the relationship dynamics between Hattie and Gloria, and the surprise plot twist. VERDICT Recommended for most high school collections.-Tabitha Nordby, Red River College, Man.

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November 15, 2016
Grades 9-12 Just when Hattie's life is getting out of controlshe just found out she is pregnant, the baby's father is partying across Europe, and Hattie's best friend moved away with her controlling girlfriendher long-lost great-aunt, Gloria, turns up unexpectedly. What Hattie views as a sympathy visit with her mother's estranged, alcoholic aunt in the beginning stages of dementia turns into a road trip where both women realize how entwined their lives truly are. As Hattie realistically considers pregnancy options and avoids confronting the baby's father, Gloria remembers poignant vignettes from her past that reveal her closer connection to Hattie. Perfectly paced, culminating in Gloria's startling and emotional revelation about her own teenage pregnancy and the baby's identity, Furniss' newest book strikes a graceful balance of witty British humor and a serious exploration of self-discovery. Fans of Jenny Downham's Unbecoming (2015) will appreciate this sensitive portrayal of women reaching through generations to understand themselves and one another.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)