14 Sep / Local Girl Swept Away by Ellen Wittlinger [in School Library Journal]
Four best friends are on the Cape Cod coast when a storm blows in, and suddenly one of them, Lorna, is gone. Lorna was Jackie’s best friend, Finn’s girlfriend, and Lucas’s dream girl. Her body is never found, but a memorial is organized, and life somehow goes on without her.
Jackie, a talented artist, finds herself attracted to an older man. She reconnects with an old friend, gets busy with two jobs, and dreams of college far away from her fishing family roots. Finn shuts down when Jackie reaches out. Lucas disappears, only to return with a shocking confession about a final conversation with Lorna. Still reeling from allegations no one wants to accept, Jackie is about to make the most shocking discovery of all.
Printz Honor-ed, Lamda Award-ed Wittingler’s latest is a quickly moving mystery that also explores generation gaps, socioeconomic expectations and assumptions, coming-of-age revelations, and the consequences of blinding relationships. Elizabeth Cottle effortlessly narrates a wide range of emotions, from excitement to resolve, desperation to acceptance, and realization to understanding. Entertaining with resonating depth, this Local Girl promises wide audience appeal.
Review: “Multimedia,” School Library Journal, September 1, 2016
Readers: Young Adult
Published: 2016