Awards and Honors2011 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults; IRA Teachers' Choices 2011, Advanced Readers; Children's Book Committee Bank Street College of Education Children's Choices - Best Books of 2011, Coming of Age, ages 12-14; Horn Book Fanfare, Best Books of 2010, Fiction; BCCB Blue Ribbon 2010, Fiction
When Bailey, Lennie's effervescent older sister, dies, Lennie and her guardians, Gram and Uncle Big, are overwhelmed with grief. Even Lennie's houseplant wilts. Then Lennie meets Joe, a new boy whose smile and beautiful trumpet playing rejuvenate them all, and she and Joe fall in love. Yet she can't seem to break things off with Bailey's boyfriend, with whom she's been sharing her grief-and her kisses.
Filled with stimulating nonfiction and can't-put-it-down fiction, this category is perfect for bridging the gap between young adult and adult reading. Take note: these 14 selections often contain mature situations and language that could be considered controversial.