Meet Me at the River

Gr 9 Up—With an authentic voice and the proper balance between sorrow and hope, Gramont effectively explores issues of suicide, death, and the problems created in their wake. Tressa has a complicated family life. She and her free-spirited mom returned to settle where her mom grew up. The solitary girl is used to being the new kid and not quite fitting in. But in Rabbitbrush, she becomes reacquainted and falls in love with her childhood friend, Luke, who is also her stepsibling. Tragedy strikes when Luke is killed while trying to rescue Tressa's beloved dog from the river, and she feels that she cannot go on without him. Told from Tressa's and Luke's alternating perspectives, the story takes place after his death and includes flashbacks to before he was a spirit, providing readers with the couple's backstory. After her suicide attempt, Tressa tries to survive by simply existing. However, with the help of a therapist, family, and friends, she finds that her life begins to bloom anew. Luke's ghost appears as a loving presence, not a haunted specter. This sensitive portrayal does not end with all the problems solved, but it does leave hope for a better future.—Cindy Wall, Southington Library & Museum, CT