Julie Anne Peters – Megan Tingley Books ($17.99)
Julie Anne Peters writes books for teenagers that really open up their worlds. Luna is a novel about a boy who knows he is really a girl; Far From Xanadu deals with falling in love with someone who doesn’t return your love and Define ‘Normal’ delves into the punk subculture. Her latest book is about a teenage girl discovering her identity her in the final weeks of high school. Well Holland Jaeger doesn’t actually fully discover her identity, but she knows she doesn’t want to go in the direction that her teachers, her mother, her boyfriend and her peers have been pushing her.
New girl Cece Goddard is ‘out and proud’ and she proposes a lesbigay club. Holland, who is head of the student council, becomes aware of the enormous amount of bigotry in the school, as well as her admiration of Cece. Peters’ narrative is easy to read as she leads Holland down the path of discovery and builds up the sexual tension between the two girls. I think many teenagers unquestioningly shape their lives around the expectations of those around them, and Keeping you a Secret is an affirming story of what can happen if you have the strength to explore alternatives. The inclusion of questions for discussion at the end of the book makes it an ideal choice for a book club or a teaching situation.
Available from Planet Books.
