How It All Ends

Gr 4-9–Tara wasn’t supposed to be in ninth grade. She had one more glorious year of middle school left, where life was simple. When she finds out that her academic performance landed her in high school a year early, she fears that she is too much of a “baby” to survive. Tara may be book smart, but she doesn’t feel mature enough for the PE, dress code, and overall freedom given to high school students. She still enjoys playing make-believe with her little brother and feels more comfortable in her imaginary world than in the real one. That is, until she meets Libby. Is she a best friend? Is she something more? Suddenly high school doesn’t seem so bad. This story perfectly captures the sweetness of a first crush during the confusing and overwhelming early teenage years. Tara grapples with her identity and learns to walk the fine line between trying to impress others and being true to herself. Readers will not only identify with Tara but also with her cool, alternative older sister Isla and her nerdy-turned-heartthrob best friend Jessup. The art depicting Tara’s real world is drawn in cool blues, while her imaginary world is depicted in bright reds. Yellow appears in both, visually connecting the two.