Story of a Girl

STORY OF A GIRL: Sara Zarr: 2007: Little Brown: YA: 192

Deanna Lambert was only 13 when her Dad caught her having sex with her 17 year old "boyfriend", Tommy, in the back seat of his car. Instead of coming to her rescue like she wishes he would have, Deanna's emotionally impotent father pushes her away and all but joins the small town shunning that takes place over the next three years. This book picks up those three years later when Deanna finally confronts Tommy, her distant father, and realized that she is worth more than the town gossip suggests.

I met Sara Zarr at a conference recently and after sitting through five minutes of self righteous snorting by the school librarian next to me during Sara's brief presentation on the book, I knew I had to see for myself what it was all about. Sure this is riddled with typical teen issues of sex, identity and relationships, but there was level of coming into the self (for lack of a better word) that really struck me. Bits of this book were over dramatic with teenage regret, but I had a little eye dab moment as Deanna finally stood up to Tommy and realized that she wasn't who she had let her reputation become. Not my most favorite teen angsty thing, but worth the quick read.

BES