Critics' Opinion:
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Published May 2008
240 pages
Genre: Literary Fiction
Publication Information
Harper's Dad is getting a divorce from her beloved stepmother, Jane. Even worse, Harper has lost her stepsister, Tess; the divorce divides them. Harper decides to escape by joining a volunteer program to build a house for a family in Tennessee who lost their home in a tornado. Not that she knows a thing about construction.
Soon she’s living in a funky motel and working long days in blazing heat with a group of kids from all over the country. At the site, she works alongside Teddy, the son of the family for whom they are building the house. Their partnership turns into a summer romance, complete with power tools. Learning to trust and love Teddy isn’t easy for Harper, but it’s the first step toward finding her way back home.
"Starred Review. This meticulously crafted book illustrates how both homes and relationships can be resurrected through hard work, hope and teamwork. Ages 12-up." - Publishers Weekly.
"The author juxtaposes the metaphorical (Harper learns to rebuild her own "house") with the concrete in a well-paced first-person narrative spiced with summer flings and teen romance. Readers will find Harper absolutely charming, even at her most sardonic moments. 13 & up)" - Kirkus Reviews.
"Reinhardt raises provocative questions about the nature of commitment between human beings and the earth--and one another." - Shelf Awareness.
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Photo: Chelsea Hadley
In her own words...
There's nothing like the first time something wonderful happens to you, like, for example, when you sit down to write your first novel and it actually gets published.
I guess there's nothing quite like the first time something just awful happens to you either. Those are moments you aren't likely to forget.
So by way of introducing myself to you, let me share with you a list of my firsts:
My first love was a boy named Matthew in my pre-school class. He was very funny looking with a huge head of unruly curls, crooked teeth and rather prominent nostrils, but I loved him nonetheless. My best friend married us underneath a tree in the play yard and we used rubber bands as our wedding rings. Years later, when I arrived at college 3,000 ...
... Full Biography
Link to Dana Reinhardt's Website
Name Pronunciation
Dana Reinhardt: day-na rine-hart (first syllable rhymes with mine)
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