No and Me

Gr 9 Up—Lou Bertignac's family has been broken since her infant sister died five years ago. Her severely depressed mother never leaves their Paris apartment, while her father cries in secret and tries to hold the family together. When 13-year-old Lou invites No, a homeless 18-year-old, to move in with them, No's presence starts to draw Lou's mother out, allowing the family to start to heal. Despite Lou's best efforts, however, a place to sleep and people to look after her are not enough to help No. Lou's gifted but socially naive mind constantly analyzes the world around her. People confuse and fascinate her. This character-driven coming-of-age story relies less on plot and more on Lou's changing philosophies as her relationship with No expands her worldview. Although Lou grows considerably, she refuses to let No's frequent betrayals and backslides into self-destructive behavior destroy her optimism. Told in brief scenes interspersed with Lou's questions and findings, this novel explores the intersection and interdependence of lives and how relationships change the people in them and around them. The directness of Lou's narration, coupled with the structure of the novel, gives it a spare quality, resulting in a profound and haunting book.—Jennifer Rothschild, Prince George's County Memorial Library System, Oxon Hill, MD