Body of Water

Gr 6–9—Sarah Dooley spins a beautiful and bittersweet tale (Feiwel & Friends, 2011) of healing, hope, and self-acceptance. On the night her Wiccan family would have celebrated the Summer Solstice, Ember, 12, loses her home—and possibly her beloved dog—in a fire set by Anson, the boy she thought was her best friend. Having no one to turn to, Ember's family relocates to Goose Landing Campground where Ember, fearful that her family's beliefs will bring further hateful attacks, goes to great lengths to avoid making friends. She even pulls away from her well-meaning parents and optimistic younger sister. The only thing Ember looks forward to is her weekly trip to the site of the fire, where she sifts through the ashes and plots revenge against Anson. It's a long road, but slowly Ember lets down her guard and learns to forgive. In doing so, she discovers that home isn't defined by a physical place or by one's possessions. Rather, home is having people she cares about—and who care about her—nearby. Although certain aspects of the ending are left open-ended, listeners will be satisfied with the conclusion of Ember's journal, which is actually a new beginning. The novel's believable, well-drawn characters are brought to brilliant life by narrator Erin Moon. Overlong pauses between tracks are somewhat distracting but don't impact this terrific story with an important message.—Alissa LeMerise, Oxford Public Library, MI