What Happened to Goodbye

Gr 8 Up—After her parents' very public and celebrity tinged divorce in a town where everyone knew her family, Mclean chose to live with her dad, who travels frequently to evaluate struggling restaurants. Wanting to leave the nasty memories behind her, the high school senior creates a new identity for herself with every move and new town, never having to fully reveal herself or her history, and never really having to say goodbye. But the latest town is different, and the Mclean begins to feel connected to places and friends. The rawness of what this means and the memories it brings back to the surface are difficult to deal with. Besides having to confront her true self, she also has to face spending time with her mother and her new family. Juggling all of those conflicting emotions and finally beginning to feel like she belongs brings with it changes she never expected. Narrator Meredith Hagner quickly draws listeners into McLean's ever-changing life, and gives all the characters distinct personalities. She audibly transforms the teenager from a girl who uses order and simplicity to control her feelings into one who begins to allow herself to feel connected to others. Sarah Dessen's story (Viking, 2011) will leave listeners reflecting on their own connections to and with others.—Stephanie A. Squicciarini, Fairport Public, NY