Leftovers- Heather Waldorf

An excellent read for teens or adults, Leftovers is a book that was hard to put down and easy to remember. Reading it for a selection committee, I felt it was too mature for our purposes, but that didn’t stop me from eagerly reading to the end. This author has the rare gift of being able to reveal just enough titillating information to draw you in further and incline you to cheat a little by peeking ahead. (I used to think it was awful when my mom did that and now I find myself doing it from time to time.!!) Sarah’s father dies unexpectedly and her greatest emotion is relief and joy. That sets you up immediately for a roller-coaster emotional ride. Apparently acting out, she takes a car that she is unable to drive, and ends up in an accident. Her consequence is community service at Camp Dog Gone Fun, where her canine friends begin to give her the courage to face her past. Quirky Sullivan also believes in her but has a hard time understanding some of her extreme reactions, in particular to having her picture taken. Gradually and then suddenly, the truth is revealed, and Sarah needs to learn to trust again. I would recommend this for your high school crowd. If you wish to try it for your Young Adult shelf, I would recommend reading it first, as there is mature content.