Good and Gone
HarperTeen, 2017, 9780062348425
Good and Gone
HarperTeen, 2017, 9780062348425
When Lexi’s older brother, Charlie, finds out that Adrian Wildes, a famous musician, has been reported missing, he insists on taking a road trip to find the elusive rocker. Lexi decides to go along with him, and so does their music-loving, out-and-proud neighbor, Zack. Being stuck in a car with Charlie—the same brother who disappeared from her life when he started dating the horrible Penelope—is the last thing Lexi wants, but if it means getting Charlie out of the house for the first time in months, then so be it.
Besides, Lexi could use the distraction. Though she can’t exactly pinpoint why, her breakup with Seth, has left a bitter coil in the pit of her stomach. With a long stretch of lonely miles ahead of her, Lexi starts to recall bits and pieces of their short-lived romance and realizes that Seth had a goal, he reached it, and then he blew her off. Now all that’s left is a blaring red rage.
As Lexi, Charlie, and Zack’s trip unfolds, the three uncover more than just clues about where the reclusive Adrian Wildes could be. Like why the smell of chlorine makes Lexi completely shut down. The real reason Charlie has been so withdrawn these past few months. What the words no, thank you mean. And if broken girls can put themselves back together again.
“Lexi’s wit, fueled by simmering rage, keeps her ruminations trenchant even when she finally breaks; a subtle current of girl power and the possibility of genuinely good guys flows through her encounters, leaving no doubt she will emerge wiser and stronger for her experience.” – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, Starred Review
“With life lessons, capers, and heartfelt conversations abounding, this is a satisfying, mature, complex read,
ideally suited to teen book clubs.” - Heather Booth, Booklist
“The darkly comic voice of 15-year-old Lexi Green powers this road trip adventure and navigates its serious underpinnings.”
– Publishers Weekly
“An achingly accurate, well-rounded contemporary read that will be of broad interest for most teen collection.” – School Library Journal
“Lexi challenges male and female double standards by questioning them without pedantry or superiority.” – Kirkus Reviews
Very in Pieces
HarperTeen, 2015, 978-0062348395
A reverse coming-of-age novel in which Very Woodruff, a straight–A student in a family of free-spirited artists, must come to terms with hard truths about those she loves most.
With her mom’s drinking, her dad’s extended absences from home, and her younger sister, Ramona, running wild, the path Very has always seen for herself doesn’t seem to matter anymore. At the same time, Very’s grandmother, a poet known less for her work and more for her exploits with the likes of Andy Warhol and Arthur Miller, is slipping away.
If everything else can fall to pieces, why can’t she?
Reviews:
”Fans of Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give You the Sun (2010) and The Sky Is Everywhere (2014, both Dial) will appreciate the realistic, authentic, and lyrical teen voice that this novel has to offer.” – School Library Journal
“It’s a believable and engaging story of the decline of a cherished grandmother and community member, and a girl trying to find her place in her family, her relationship, and life.” – Publisher’s Weekly
A “solid coming of age story.” – Kirkus Reviews
“The Verdict: A well-written novel about the impact that negative change can have on one strong-willed family’s lives. Recommended for those looking for a strong contemporary read with a touch of romance and a lot of heart.” – Eden Gray at YA Books Central
Accolades:
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Junior Library Guild Selection
Secrets of Truth & Beauty
Disney-Hyperion, 2009, 978-1423117117
When Dara Cohen was little, she was a bright, shiny star. She was the cutest seven-year-old who ever sang Ella Fitzgerald, and it was no wonder she was crowned Little Miss Maine.
That was then. Now Dara’s seventeen and she’s not so little anymore. So not little, that when her classmates find out about her illustrious resume, their jaws drop. That’s just one of her many problems. Another is that her control-freak mom won’t get off her case about anything. Yet the one that hurts the most is the family secret: Dara has an older sister her parents tried to erase from their lives.
When a disastrously misinterpreted English project lands her in the counselor’s office–and her parents pull her out of school to save face–Dara realizes she has a decision to make. She can keep following the rules and being misunderstood, or she can finally reach out to the sister she’s never met–a sister who lives on a collective goat farm in Massachusetts. Dara chooses B. What follows is a summer of revelations, some heartbreaking, some joyous; of friendship, romance, a local beauty pageant; and choices. And as autumn approaches, Dara finds she may have to let go of everything she’s taken for granted in order to figure out who she really is, and what family really means.
Reviews:
"A beautifully written coming-of-age story . . . Readers will quickly become intrigued with the unraveling of family secrets and the cast of memorable characters Dara meets.” – Publisher’s Weekly, Starred review
“This is a highly enjoyable read. The teen’s relationship with her parents, particularly with her controlling mother, is tense and believable, and the characterizations of the eccentric residents of the goat farm are entertaining and appealing.”
– School Library Journal
“This quiet novel is a story of hope that will have readers of all body sizes and sexual orientations cheering Frazer’s honesty when it comes to tough issues.” – Romantic Times Book Reviews, 4 ½ stars
“Megan Frazer’s brilliantly written debut novel delves into some very difficult experiences teens go through growing up. The statements made here about prejudice and accepting others are universal and important. The story is organic and stirring, and life on the Jezebel Goat Farm is significant. Dara and Owen are characters like so many young adults today, and this is the kind of book that can really make a difference for anyone struggling to find themselves. I wish there were more novels like SECRETS OF TRUTH & BEAUTY.” – Melanie Smith, TeenReads.com
Accolades:
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2010 Rainbow List
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Autumn 2009 Kids’ Indie Next List
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New England Children’s Book Sellers Advisory Council’s Spring Top Ten for 2009
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Gold Star from TeensReadToo