• Who's Reading What on Wednesdays?

Roomies | May 28, 2014

by Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, December 2013)

Despite summer days at the beach, Elizabeth “EB” Owens can’t wait to leave New Jersey and start her freshman year across the country at UC Berkley. Things are not working out with her boyfriend, and she wants to escape from her mom’s complicated dating life. Meanwhile in San Francisco, Lauren Cole barely has time to think as she works two jobs and helps take care of her six little siblings. When the student housing office notifies them of their room assignment, EB writes an email to Lauren to discuss the logistics of who will bring the microwave. And thus begins the email exchange.

Co-authors Sara Zarr and Tara Altebrando write alternate chapters in first-person narrative by the two main characters, weaving together two authentic contemporary voices. These two girls from two very different backgrounds are brought together in ways neither of them expected. Over the course of that summer, they share their struggles with their families (EB is estranged from her gay dad), boys (Lauren is sensitive about having a black boyfriend), and more. And they end up powerfully influencing each other’s lives before they ever meet.

A bittersweet story (mostly sweet) about transitions, the challenges of leaving home, and the joys of new relationships, you won’t be able to put this book down.

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