Title: Once Was Lost Author: Sara Zarr
ISBN: 9780316036047 Pages: 217
Publisher: Little Brown and Company, New York, 2009
ISBN: 9780316036047 Pages: 217
Publisher: Little Brown and Company, New York, 2009
Readers Annotation:
Samara's faith is tested when her mother goes into rehab for alcohol addiction, and a young girl in her community suddenly disappears.
Samara's faith is tested when her mother goes into rehab for alcohol addiction, and a young girl in her community suddenly disappears.
Author Information:
Sara Zarr has written three critically acclaimed young adult novels. One of those books, Once Was Lost is a Utah Book Award winner, an INSPY winner, and a Kirkus Best Book of 2009. Additionally, Zarr has written several short fiction pieces and essays that have been published in Image, Hunger Mountain online, and Response. Her most recent novel How to Save a Life, is set to be published in October of 2011.
Zarr grew up in San Francisco, in a family of creative artists. She spent her childhood listening to her mother's stories, or concocting some of her own with her friend Christine and her sister Tornado. Presently, Sara lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband.
http://www.sarazarr.com/bio
Plot Summary:
Samara Taylor is the daughter of a pastor and a beautiful stay-at-home mom. Sam's story begins when her mother is already in rehab for alcoholism. Sam struggles with her mother's absence and addiction, as her faith is tested. She is especially concerned with people knowing about her mother's addiction, and how they will react. Being the pastor's daughter already translates into some distance between her and her friends. Contributing to Sam's loneliness and confusion, Sam's father seems to be able to give great advice to everyone but his own daughter.
Suddenly, amidst Sam's difficulties, a young member of her church, Jody Shaw, mysteriously disappears. She is only thirteen years old at the time of her abduction. Meanwhile, Jody's older brother Nick is having troubles of his own. He misses his younger sister, and is accused of having something to do with her disappearance. Sam and Nick develop an unexpected friendship that helps them through this demanding time in both their lives.
Zarr grew up in San Francisco, in a family of creative artists. She spent her childhood listening to her mother's stories, or concocting some of her own with her friend Christine and her sister Tornado. Presently, Sara lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with her husband.
http://www.sarazarr.com/bio
Plot Summary:
Samara Taylor is the daughter of a pastor and a beautiful stay-at-home mom. Sam's story begins when her mother is already in rehab for alcoholism. Sam struggles with her mother's absence and addiction, as her faith is tested. She is especially concerned with people knowing about her mother's addiction, and how they will react. Being the pastor's daughter already translates into some distance between her and her friends. Contributing to Sam's loneliness and confusion, Sam's father seems to be able to give great advice to everyone but his own daughter.
Suddenly, amidst Sam's difficulties, a young member of her church, Jody Shaw, mysteriously disappears. She is only thirteen years old at the time of her abduction. Meanwhile, Jody's older brother Nick is having troubles of his own. He misses his younger sister, and is accused of having something to do with her disappearance. Sam and Nick develop an unexpected friendship that helps them through this demanding time in both their lives.
Critical Evaluation:
This realistic and emotional story is told from the first person narrative. The reader joins the female protagonist along her journey, as she struggles to make sense of the events happening around her. Samara's depth of emotion binds the readers to her. The book is divided into chapters that follow each of Samara's days, until the plot comes to some type of denouement. This routine-like approach to the storytelling imparts an aspect of the realism to the main character's everyday life. To lend some variety to the prose, the chapters are speckled with the news reports on the disappearance of Jody. This story is a lesson in the ability to cope with loss and still retain faith in one's religion and in humankind. The author expertly weaves several different story lines into one gripping and moving masterpiece.
This realistic and emotional story is told from the first person narrative. The reader joins the female protagonist along her journey, as she struggles to make sense of the events happening around her. Samara's depth of emotion binds the readers to her. The book is divided into chapters that follow each of Samara's days, until the plot comes to some type of denouement. This routine-like approach to the storytelling imparts an aspect of the realism to the main character's everyday life. To lend some variety to the prose, the chapters are speckled with the news reports on the disappearance of Jody. This story is a lesson in the ability to cope with loss and still retain faith in one's religion and in humankind. The author expertly weaves several different story lines into one gripping and moving masterpiece.
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Curriculum Ties: Culture - addiction
Booktalking Ideas:
1. Samara's father, a preacher, is really good at helping others through their difficult times, yet has trouble helping his own family. Do you know anyone who's good with strangers, but can't help those closest to him?
2. Nick Shaw's little sister is kidnapped. What would you do if someone close to you was kidnapped?
1. Samara's father, a preacher, is really good at helping others through their difficult times, yet has trouble helping his own family. Do you know anyone who's good with strangers, but can't help those closest to him?
2. Nick Shaw's little sister is kidnapped. What would you do if someone close to you was kidnapped?
Reading Level/Interest Age: 14+
Challenge Issue: Addiction
- Award winning book: ALA Best Book for Young Adults, INSPY Award Winner, Kirkus Best Book of 2009, Utah Book Award Winner
- Compilation of teen reviews and the average reader reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
- Library policy
- Award winning book: ALA Best Book for Young Adults, INSPY Award Winner, Kirkus Best Book of 2009, Utah Book Award Winner
- Compilation of teen reviews and the average reader reviews on Amazon.com and Goodreads.com
- Library policy
Why I chose this item: I wanted to include a book by this award winning novelist, as suggested in some of the class readings.
Sara Zarr talking about her books
Sara Zarr talking about her books
No comments:
Post a Comment