Synopses & Reviews
Sixteen-year-old Eleanor Crowe has a mind of her own and no one is going to tell her what to do. But when she finds herself pregnant, she realizes that her options are limited: go to Kenya with her missionary parents or marry Lam, the baby's father, and live with his parents at their summer camp for overweight children. Despite her initial reluctance to help out, Elly is surprised to discover that she actually enjoys working with the kids at camp,if not for her mother-in-law's constant disapproval. When her baby is born, unexpected emotions and situations spin out of control, and Elly has to call on her stubbornness and determination to step up and become an advocate for her future and for the life she has created. A thought-provoking and courageous new novel by National Book Award winner Han Nolan.
Review
"Nolan presents a sensitive look at the difficulties of teen pregnancy. . .Drawing in both reluctant and avid readers, this novel is an uplifting page-turner with a great deal of heart."--
School Library Journal, starred review "Readers will love Eleanor's openness and admire her strength in dealing with hard choices and unexpected disasters."--
Publishers Weekly "As revealed in her first-person narration, Elly is passionate, smart-mouthed, rebellious and completely endearing. Secondary characters are similarly well-crafted, refusing to fit into stereotypes. Readers may feel like laughing, crying and grinding their teeth in frustration, but they will always feel like they are in the experienced hands of a master storyteller."--
Kirkus Reviews, starred review "National Book Award finalist Nolan has written a multilayered character study of Elly, a young woman angry at the adults in her life but enormously resourceful and capable of love. The issues she faces—teen pregnancy, immature boyfriends, bewildered and angry parents, whether to keep the baby, and even the problems of overweight campers—all have their origins in grief and control. How Elly plows through this complex morass both before and after the baby arrives makes for not only a strong story but a subtle object lesson as well."--
Booklist "The combination of camp story and problem novel give the book high appeal, and the characters are complex and sympathetic, particularly Elly as she works through her issues and grapples believably with the forced onset of adulthood."-Bulletin
Synopsis
National Book Award-winning author Han Nolan portrays a tough and defiant pregnant teen who discovers her strength and compassion—and courageous plan for her future—while working at a camp for overweight children.
Synopsis
"Readers . . . will always feel like they are in the experienced hands of a master storyteller." --
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Nobody gets away with telling sixteen-year-old Eleanor Crowe what to do. But as a pregnant teen, her options are limited: move to Kenya with her missionary parents or marry the baby's father and work at his family's summer camp for overweight kids. She chooses marriage. A camp tragedy prompts a series of events that overwhelms Elly with difficult choices. Somehow, she must leverage her usual stubbornness to ensure a future for herself and her baby. A fascinating character study.
Synopsis
«“Readers . . . will always feel like they are in the experienced hands of a master storyteller.” —
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Nobody gets away with telling sixteen-year-old Eleanor Crowe what to do. But as a pregnant teen, her options are limited: move to Kenya with her missionary parents or marry the babys father and work at his familys summer camp for overweight kids. She chooses marriage. A camp tragedy prompts a series of events that overwhelms Elly with difficult choices. Somehow, she must leverage her usual stubbornness to ensure a future for herself and her baby. A fascinating character study.
Synopsis
A thought-provoking and courageous new novel by National Book Award winner Han Nolan. Nobody gets away with telling Eleanor Crowe what to do. But as a pregnant sixteenyear-old, her options are limited: move to Kenya with her missionary parents or marry the babys father and work at his familys summer camp for overweight kids. Despite her initial reluctance to help out, Elly is surprised that she actually enjoys working with the campers. But a tragedy on the very day her baby is born starts a series of events that overwhelms Elly with unexpected emotions and difficult choices. Somehow, she must turn her usual obstinance in a direction that can ensure a future for herself—and for the new life she has created. The e-book includes a sample chapter from Born Blue by Han Nolan.
About the Author
HAN NOLAN is the author of several books, including Dancing on the Edge which won the National Book Award and Send Me Down a Miracle, a National Book Award finalist. She lives with her husband on the East Coast.