Lost Stars

Gr 9 Up—Carrie is struggling after the death of her cool older sister, Ginny. Before, Carrie loved astrophysics, but Ginny's loss propelled the protagonist into the orbit of her sister's older friends, and now her life consists of partying, drinking, and staying out too late. In a last-ditch attempt to bring Carrie back to earth, her father forces her to join a summer work program. She spends her days wearing nerdy work boots, clearing walking paths, and generally being a teen delinquent. As the summer wears on, Carrie fights more battles with her father, younger sister, and boss; she also meets Dean, the new guy next door who might be able to see past her behavior to the girl underneath. Davis creates a complex character in Carrie, whose mental health suffers considerably when she loses her beloved older sister. The family members all deal with the grief of Ginny's passing in differing, and often conflicting, ways. Like the slow rising of the sun after a long, stormy night, Carrie comes out of the darkness and embraces life in this moving real-life problem novel. This story is set in the 1980s, so some teens might have trouble connecting with the references to period bands and other pop culture phenomena, but this would be a great novel to use for mix-CD inspiration.