How to Save a Life

A National Book Award finalist, How to Save a Life by Sara Zarr, is simply stunning. Jill is a senior in high school still reeling from the tragic death of her father. She has emotionally closed herself off from her friends, her boyfriend, and her grieving mother. She is stuck in her grief, and is horrified when her mother announces that she is going to adopt a baby.
Mindy has dropped out of school and agreed to give her baby up for adoption. She climbs a bus in Nebraska and arrives to meet Jill and her Mom in Colorado. She is carrying more than an unborn baby. She is also running from a past that includes secrets she can never share.
Through two very distinct voices, details emerge and eventually, the pair establish a rapport. Friendship, romance, and the meaning of family are all explored in a fresh and authentic process. The conclusion is exceptionally satisfying.
Emotionally complicated girls with messy life-situations is Zarr's strength, as she displayed in her 2007 book Story of a Girl. She is definitely a novelist to watch.
As a food this is a slow simmered chicken stew, but from the kitchen of someone who loves to play with spices and isn't afraid to take a risk. A little curry, a dash of coriander and some hot pepper flakes transform this familiar and comforting dish into a unique and unforgettable dining experience.
5 stars.
Other awards:

• ALA 2012 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults
• A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2011
• A School Library Journal Best Book of 2011
• A Los Angeles Public Library Best Book of 2011
• A Junior Library Guild selection
• Cooperative Children’s Book Council 2012 Children’s Choice