Sara Zarr – författare

“A story that broke my heart and put it back together again. You won’t want to let Gem and Dixie go.” —Sarah Dessen, New York Times bestselling author of Saint AnythingFrom renowned author and National Book Award finalist Sara Zarr comes a deep, nuanced, and gorgeously written story about the complex relationship between two sisters from a broken home.Gem has never known what it is to have security. She’s never known an adult she can truly rely on. But the one constant in her life has been Dixie. Gem grew up taking care of her sister when no one else could: not their mother, whose issues make it hard for her to keep food on the table, and definitely not their father, whose intermittent presence is the only thing worse than his frequent absence.Even as Gem and Dixie have grown apart, they’ve always had each other. When their dad returns home for the first time in years and tries to insert himself back into their lives, Gem finds herself with an unexpected opportunity: three days with Dixie—on their own in Seattle and beyond.But this short trip soon becomes something more, as Gem discovers that that to save herself, she may have to sever the one bond she’s tried so hard to keep."A complex and gripping story centered around the relationship of two sisters from a broken home. This book was so meaningful and realistic" (from the Brightly.com review, which named Gem and Dixie one of the best books of 2017). A Complex Sister Relationship: Gem has always been Dixie’s protector. But as they grow apart, their bond is tested when their estranged father returns, forcing Gem to question how far she’ll go to save her sister—and herself.A Raw Coming of Age Story: Navigating life with unreliable parents has forced Gem to grow up too fast. This is a gritty, realistic story about a teen girl trying to find her own path when the adults in her life have failed her.Runaway Teens: An unexpected trip to Seattle offers a brief escape, but what starts as three days on their own quickly becomes a desperate journey. With no one to rely on but each other, every choice matters.Heartbreaking yet Hopeful: Praised as “meaningful and realistic,” this National Book Award finalist novel explores the devastating choices and fierce love that can exist within a broken family.

Sara Zarr, author of the National Book Award finalist Story of a Girl, returns with an intimate, exquisitely crafted novel of the courage it takes to see those we love for who they are.Kyle Baker thought his family was happy. Happy enough, anyway. That’s why, when Kyle learns that his mother has been having an affair and his father has been living with the secret, his reality is altered.He quits baseball, ghosts his girlfriend, and generally checks out of life as he’s known it. With his older sisters out of the house and friends who don’t get it, the only person he can talk to is his cousin Emily—who is always there on the other end of his texts but still has her own life, hours away.Kyle’s parents want him to keep the secret of his mother’s affair from the rest of the family until after what might be their last big summer reunion. As Kyle watches the effects of his parents’ choices ripple out over friends, family, and strangers, and he feels the walls of his relationships closing in, he has to decide what his obligations are to everyone he cares for—including himself.When the two people you trust most shatter your world, who do you become?A Family Shattered by Infidelity: Kyle’s mom has a secret. His dad knows. And they’ve asked him to lie for them, forcing him to question everything he believed about his family.First Love and Fallout: As Kyle retreats into himself, he pushes away his girlfriend, Nadia, unable to explain the chaos that’s consuming him.An Unbreakable Cousin Bond: The only person he can confide in is his cousin Emily, his anchor in a world that no longer makes sense.A Journey of Self Discovery: Forced to navigate his parents’ drama, Kyle must figure out who he is when the foundation of his life crumbles.

As children, Jennifer Harris and Cameron Quick were both social outcasts.They were also one another's only friend.So when Cameron disappears without warning, Jennifer thinks she's lost the only person who will ever understand her.Now in high school, Jennifer has been transformed.Known as Jenna, she's popular, happy, and dating, everything "Jennifer" couldn't be---but she still can't shake the memory of her long-lost friend. When Cameron suddenly reappears, they are both confronted with memories of their shared past and the drastically different paths their lives have taken.Sweethearts is a story about the power of memory, the bond of friendship, and the quiet resilience of our childhood hearts.

From the author of Sweethearts and the National Book Award finalist Story of a Girl comes a story about a local tragedy and a personal tragedy paralleling in the eyes of a fifteen year old girl.Samara Taylor used to believe in miracles. She used to believe in a lot of things. As a pastor's kid, it's hard not to buy in to the idea of the perfect family, a loving God, and amazing grace but lately, Sam has a lot of reason to doubt. Her mother is in rehab after a DUI and her father seems more interested in his congregation than his family. When a young girl in her small town is kidnapped, the local tragedy overlaps Sam's personal one and the already worn thread of faith holding her together begins to unravel.In her 3rd novel, Zarr examines the coexistence of affliction and hope and what happens when everything you thought you believed - about God, your family and yourself - is transformed.

Sara Zarr's lyrical debut novel--a National Book Award finalist--has been adapted for TV! I was thirteen when my dad caught me with Tommy Webber in the back of Tommy's Buick. Tommy was seventeen and the supposed friend of my brother, Darren.I'm not sure I even liked him.In a moment, Deanna Lambert's teenage life is changed forever. Struggling to overcome the lasting repercussions and the stifling role of "school slut," Deanna longs to escape a life defined by her past. With subtle grace, complicated wisdom, and striking emotion, Story of a Girl reminds us of our human capacity for resilience, epiphany, and redemption."...The rarest mix: It's both impossible to put down and the kind of book that stays with you long after you've finished reading it."--John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars

“Who better to raise teens’ awareness of mental illness and health than the YA authors they admire?” —Booklist (starred review) “[A] much-needed, enlightening book.” —School Library Journal (starred review) Your favorite YA authors including Ellen Hopkins, Maureen Johnson, and more recount their own experiences with mental health in this raw, real, and powerful collection of essays that explores everything from ADD to PTSD.Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t get out of bed? Not the occasional morning, but every day? Do you find yourself listening to a voice in your head that says “you’re not good enough,” “not good looking enough,” “not thin enough,” or “not smart enough”? Have you ever found yourself unable to do homework or pay attention in class unless everything is “just so” on your desk? Everyone has had days like that, but what if you have them every day? You’re not alone. Millions of people are going through similar things. However issues around mental health still tend to be treated as something shrouded in shame or discussed in whispers. It’s easier to have a broken bone—something tangible that can be “fixed”—than to have a mental illness, and easier to have a discussion about sex than it is to have one about mental health. Life Inside My Mind is an anthology of true-life events from writers of this generation, for this generation. These essays tackle everything from neurodiversity to addiction to OCD to PTSD and much more. The goals of this book range from providing a home to those who are feeling alone, awareness to those who are witnessing a friend or family member struggle, and to open the floodgates to conversation.