The Story of a Girl

LS 5623 Book Review
Realism, Romance and Censorship

Bibliography
Zarr, Sara. 2007. THE STORY OF A GIRL. New York : Little, Brown and Co. ISBN 9780316014533

Plot Summary
When Deanna was thirteen her father caught her having sex with a seventeen year old boy in his car. The story opens three years later and living in a small town everyone knows about Deanna's father catching her in the act. As Deanna struggles to move beyond the rumors she finds a job, falls in love, and helps her brother and his wife raise their newborn baby.

Critical Analysis
In this problem novel, the protagonist is faced with rumors that overshadow all parts of her life. Zarr does an excellent job of portraying her characters as believable because they all have both good and bad qualities. Readers will empathize with Deanna because everyone has felt like an outsider at some point in their life for some reason. Even though the subject matter of the book is sex Zarr expertly handles the sex scenes without being overly graphic. The biggest selling point of this book is that rumors, sex, and parental conflict are problems that real teens are faced with and can identify with the characters emotions.

The only weakness of the book is, for readers who like a well defined ending, this book does not have it. Readers can infer that Deanna and Lee forgive each other but, it is not specifically stated. The overall tone of the book goes from hopeless to hopeful at the end which is further indication that Lee and Deanna become friends again. The way the ending is ambiguous can let readers infer that Deanna has decided that it doesn't really matter what other people think, even her friend Lee.

Review Excerpts
BOOKLIST (starred review) : "This is a thoughtful, well-executed debut from an author who understands how to write for teens."
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (starred review) : "Zarr's storytelling is excellent; Deanna's reactions to the painful things said to her will resonate with any reader who has felt like an outsider. It is an emotionally charged story, with language appropriate to the intensity of the feelings."

National Book Award Finalist 2007
American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults
International Reading Association Honor Book

Connections
* Have students create a diary entry about a time when they were the subject of gossip.
* Deanna is trying to move out of her house while working a part-time, minimum wage job. Have students create an imaginary budget for Deanna including things like rent, groceries, and other expenses.