a
novel ISBN 978-0-930773-830 |
 |
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a
novel ISBN 978-0-930773-830 |
|
|
Anna Begins is a Young Adult story about a girl
in her senior year in high school who has an eating disorder, a boy friend who
is suicidal, and a mother who would like her to be someone different. The milieu
is composed of teenagers who are unsure of themselves and of their future.
Eventually Anna accepts herself for the person she is, her boy friend does not
kill himself, and Anna's mother becomes more accepting as well.
What the Critics are Saying |
Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA), August 2008
This book is unusual. Its two thematically paired novellas portray unrelated teenagers who are dealing with a variety of realistic teen problems In the first work, Anna Begins, Melissa has a body image problem, a mother who is self-absorbed and not really in her children’s lives, and a crush—maybe—on her best friend’s boyfriend or her older stepbrother. Melissa relates these events by writing a story about them, and seeks criticism about her story from others. In A Million Miles Up, Scott is a high school junior who, in an attempt to overcome his depression and be popular, takes up binge drinking. He shares some thoughts with Elly who has problems of her own. Although it is not overtly discussed, the implications are that she is being abused by her father and is acting out by being promiscuous. Her mantra becomes “Like father, like daughter.”
Written in stream of consciousness, both stories deal realistically with problems teens might face today. The reader feels the awkwardness of situations personally, relating to the characters and their predicament. Sex, drugs, abuse, and mental health are dealt with but not preached about. The small, several-paragraph-length scenes, which make up the style of each novella, keep the story moving and the book readable. This book will be one of those that will be recommended and talked about between teen readers.
- Susan Allen