Review: The Life of Glass

The Life of Glass
Jillian Cantor
2010; HarperTeen; ISBN 978-0-06-168651-1 (hardcover)

Summary: It's been over a year since her father died, but Melissa still misses him. Having his journal full of unusual facts and quotes about love, her memories of him, and the piece of rainbow glass he touched the night he died--they're no substitute for her father. Now that she's starting high school, Melissa's world is changing again. Her beautiful older sister Ashley ignores her at school, while her best friend Ryan is falling for glamorous new girl Courtney. To make it worse, her mother has started dating. Melissa must find a way to navigate her own path amid friends and family landmines.

The Life of Glass is about mourning, about going on as the death of your loved one becomes more nad more part of your past. Yet this novel is also about coming-of-age, learning how to stand on yoru own rather than go with the flow. That's what Melissa figures out as she grows closer to her sister and avoids the shallow friendship of Courtney. Most of all, it is the slow transformation of her relationship with Ryan-from friend to romantic interest-that marks Melissa's freshman year of exploration. Younger fans of Sarah Dessen and Elizabeth Scott are the perfect audience for Jillian Cantor's second novel.

Any opinions on books published in 2010 are my own and do not represent the opinions of the 2011 Printz Committee.