Sunday, November 11, 2001

By Erin Pierce

Adapting to loss is a topic with which we have been grappling as a nation. Loss on a smaller, more personal scale is something we all must face. Whether it's loss of a loved one, a friendship or innocence, each of the following books written for teens touches on this topic.

Fortunately, we are often more resilient than we realize. "The Color of Absence" (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, $16, ages 12 and up), edited by James Howe, showcases 12 short stories by acclaimed young adult authors. All revolve around the intermingling of loss and hope.

Three days after her mother's funeral, Mattie is wandering the streets. She can't stay in the house any longer. When she stumbles into Good for You Restaurant, it's because she's drawn to the name. She doesn't anticipate becoming the cook there.

But they need the help, and she needs a place to belong. This touching story by Naomi Shihab Nye, "Shoofly Pie," does a wonderful job of creating a sense of hope as Mattie begins to compensate for the loss of her mother.

"Chair: A Story of Our Voices" is a simple retelling of three conversations between Buddy and his grandfather. Each conversation takes place on one of Buddy's birthdays. The impact of these conversations, back to back, is stunning. As Buddy grows older and more aware of the world around him, his grandfather's understanding of the world dissipates.

"The Color of Absence" is a wonderful story collection, but "The Rialto," a novel excerpt by unlikely collaborators, Chris Lynch and Jacqueline Woodson, is the highlight.

Ivan and Caryn -- a white boy, a black girl -- make an unlikely couple from the first. When Caryn discovers that she is pregnant, her sense of loss is overwhelming. She's lost her innocence, her childhood.

Ivan's sense of hope -- for a new life, his child -- is equally intense. The masterful portrayal of these conflicting emotions, juxtaposed against one another, seems to define what Howe was looking for in this collection.

"Looking back, I would have to say my life was one long snooze until the day I met Razzle Penny ..."

When his elderly parents move to manage a complex of rundown vacation cottages, Kenyon Baker loses the life he always knew. He has always been a good kid, never giving his parents any trouble. Forced to move with his parents the summer before his senior year, he's now an unhappy boy. And then he meets Razzle.

Razzle is an eccentric, lonely artist who works in the town dump. Ken, at first unsure about her nonconformity, is eventually delighted and inspired by her. She becomes a model for his photographs and an openhearted friend.

When Razzle's childhood enemy -- a beautiful, manipulative flirt named Harley -- starts toying with Ken, he falls prey to her games, straining his friendship with Razzle.

Reminiscent of Jerry Spinelli's "Stargirl" (Knopf, $15.95), Ellen Wittlinger's "Razzle" (Simon & Schuster, $17, 12 and up) explores themes of inner beauty vs. classic good looks and the pain of not fitting in and trusting your own desires vs. accepting what society tells you to want. Anyone, especially teens, can relate to these issues.

Margaret Peterson Haddix's "Takeoffs and Landings" (Simon & Schuster, $16, ages 11-14) looks at the variety of ways that family members can lose (and rediscover) one another.

Chuck and Lori lost their father in a tractor accident eight years ago. They effectively lost their mother as well. Determined to provide for them, she began traveling extensively in her career as a motivational speaker.

Fifteen-year-old Chuck is an overweight boy who is the butt of everyone's jokes, including those of his sister Lori, 14, who is everyone's darling. She's also terrified of being viewed as different and is always looking for ways to appear "normal."

Feeling distant from her children, Lori and Chuck's mother takes them with her on a two-week trip. In addition to reconnecting with them, she hopes to give them a glimpse of life outside Pickford County.

Through their travels, Chuck gains a sense of belonging and stumbles headlong into a passion for art. Lori discovers that normal in Pickford County is not normal everywhere and that the world is much bigger than she imagined.

Even their mother comes to realize that to bring her children closer to herself and one another, she must open up past wounds and share part of herself with them.

"Takeoffs and Landings" is written in alternating sections, and Haddix does an excellent job creating distinct voices for Chuck and Lori.

What is lacking is plausibility. Each member of the family realizes something new about himself, acknowledges mistakes, apologizes for them and is forgiven for them -- and all this occurs in a two-week period. The easy wrap-up at the end will, however, be reassuring for young teens.

Erin Pierce is young adult coordinator for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Past Reviews