by Ann Turner ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2000
In episodic free verse, Turner tells of the summer she was raped repeatedly by a neighbor boy. The six-year-old narrator relates both joyful and horrifying scenes in short lines of three or fewer beats: “the motor purrs and drips, / we speak softly / as if in church,” “and I am cutting you / into little pieces / that I will bury / in the meadow / outside / when there is no moon / and no stars.” Each scene is completed in less than a page, and as the verses are printed only on odd pages (facing blank white), each stands alone sharply, then fades to the next, as if they were episodes in a home movie, with Turner’s ever-present rhythm running in the background like the projector’s motor. Her language is regular and prose-like, and though no one poem stands on its own, the entire narrative works together as one. The book is divided into three sections, “sailing,” “sinking,” and “swimming,” harking to the tenacious metaphor of the title. Two longer poems, in italics and in Turner’s adult voice, ceremoniously commence and complete the exorcism of the memoir. Though not as strong as the main narrative (and not necessary to it), they provide a contextual entry for the teenage audience the book is intended for (and will appeal to, despite the character’s age). Teen readers will appreciate this work not just for its story, but for its illustration of the writing process and the power one can wield with words. Three national 24-hour help lines are listed in the back. (Fiction. 12+)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-439-15309-3
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2000
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by Ann Turner ; illustrated by James E. Ransome
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by Ann Turner & illustrated by Wendell Minor
by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind.
In this companion novel to 2013’s If He Had Been With Me, three characters tell their sides of the story.
Finn’s narrative starts three days before his death. He explores the progress of his unrequited love for best friend Autumn up until the day he finally expresses his feelings. Finn’s story ends with his tragic death, which leaves his close friends devastated, unmoored, and uncertain how to go on. Jack’s section follows, offering a heartbreaking look at what it’s like to live with grief. Jack works to overcome the anger he feels toward Sylvie, the girlfriend Finn was breaking up with when he died, and Autumn, the girl he was preparing to build his life around (but whom Jack believed wasn’t good enough for Finn). But when Jack sees how Autumn’s grief matches his own, it changes their understanding of one another. Autumn’s chapters trace her life without Finn as readers follow her struggles with mental health and balancing love and loss. Those who have read the earlier book will better connect with and feel for these characters, particularly since they’ll have a more well-rounded impression of Finn. The pain and anger is well written, and the novel highlights the most troublesome aspects of young adulthood: overconfidence sprinkled with heavy insecurities, fear-fueled decisions, bad communication, and brash judgments. Characters are cued white.
A heavy read about the harsh realities of tragedy and their effects on those left behind. (author’s note, content warning) (Fiction. 14-18)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781728276229
Page Count: 416
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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by Laura Nowlin
by Laura Nowlin ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2013
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head.
The finely drawn characters capture readers’ attention in this debut.
Autumn and Phineas, nicknamed Finny, were born a week apart; their mothers are still best friends. Growing up, Autumn and Finny were like peas in a pod despite their differences: Autumn is “quirky and odd,” while Finny is “sweet and shy and everyone like[s] him.” But in eighth grade, Autumn and Finny stop being friends due to an unexpected kiss. They drift apart and find new friends, but their friendship keeps asserting itself at parties, shared holiday gatherings and random encounters. In the summer after graduation, Autumn and Finny reconnect and are finally ready to be more than friends. But on August 8, everything changes, and Autumn has to rely on all her strength to move on. Autumn’s coming-of-age is sensitively chronicled, with a wide range of experiences and events shaping her character. Even secondary characters are well-rounded, with their own histories and motivations.
There’s not much plot here, but readers will relish the opportunity to climb inside Autumn’s head. (Fiction. 14 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-4022-7782-5
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
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