Moonglass

Gr 7—10—Because of a job transfer, Anna, 17, and her dad are moving. The relocation is particularly difficult because they are returning to the beach town where her father first met and fell in love with her mother, who died when Anna was seven. The teen remembers very little about her, but she does recall walking with her on moonlighted beaches looking for sea glass and listening in wonderment to tales about mermaids. She also remembers one cold night when she followed her to the ocean's edge, when her mom didn't stop; she just continued walking into the water. As local residents begin to tell her tidbits of information and through her own hazy memories, Anna is able to piece together the woman's life. This is a poignant book about a teenager seeking answers yet fearful of what she might learn. This summer is life-changing for Anna, and readers will understand and sympathize with her loss of a parent, especially to suicide, and her coming to terms with her feelings of guilt and anger.—Sharon Morrison, Henry G. Bennett Memorial Library, Durant, OK