Poor choices, guilt, damaged relationships are the fundamental components of this 2007 National Book Award in Young People's Litereature Finalist STORY OF A GIRL by Sara Zarr. Many people suffer from relationships gone bad due to a lack of communicating feelings, and Sara Zarr explores a young girl's struggle through just this type of situation.
Deanna Lambert's reputation was ruined when she was found screwing around with an older pothead in a parking lot when she was only 13 years old. Tommy's version of what happened labeled her the school slut or psycho, depending on which version you heard. Now Deanna is almost 16 and not only having to deal with the repercussions at school. You see, her father found her with Tommy and no longer looks at her or talks to her unless in a accusatory manner. When Deanna finds that her new job is with Tommy she decides to keep her job but treats Tommy (who hasn't changed) with contempt. When her brother, his girlfriend, and baby end up splitting up, Deanna goes back to making poor decisions without thinking those decisions through first. She even hits on her best friend's boyfriend since he was her friend first. The guilt eats her up. Then in anger one morning, she lets her feelings be known in a abruptly blunt way to her father. Her father finally sees things through her eyes. And a talk from her brother, who has mended his relationship with his small family, shows her that the first steps to change don't have to be big. Just say you're sorry and move on. This leads to a slow mending process to not only her relationship with her father but with her friends also.
Great book for teens, particularly if they struggle with choices or relationship issues. It is not overly graphic but gets the point across. The small poems thrown in occassionally are great food for thought.
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