Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published in USA
Jul 2012
400 pages
Genre: Novels
Publication Information
A summer of firsts
Sixteen-year-old Eliza Miller has never made a phone call, never tried on a pair of jeans, never sat in a darkened theater waiting for a movie to start. She's never even talked to someone her age who isn't Amish, like her.
A summer of good-byes
When she leaves her close-knit family to spend the summer as a nanny in suburban Chicago, a part of her can't wait to leave behind everything she knows. She can't imagine the secrets she will uncover, the friends she will make, the surprises and temptations of a way of life so different from her own.
A summer of impossible choice
Every minute Eliza spends with her new friend Josh feels as good as listening to music for the first time, and she wonders whether there might be a place for her in his world. But as summer wanes, she misses the people she has left behind, and the plain life she once took for granted. Eliza will have to decide for herself where she belongs. Whichever choice she makes, she knows she will lose someone she loves.
Ages 12+
Click to the right or left of the sample to turn the page.
(If no book jacket appears in a few seconds, then we don't have an excerpt of this book or your browser is unable to display it)
"In this honest and meticulously detailed first novel, Grossman offers a rare glimpse into Amish culture, bringing to light core values and the difficulties Amish people, especially teens, face living apart from the rest of the world." - Publishers Weekly
"Starred Review. Grossman's love for her story seeps into every page, locking readers into the narrative. She produces a heartfelt tale that will be difficult for readers to resist. Simply lovely. " - Kirkus Reviews
The information about A World Away shown above was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's online-magazine that keeps our members abreast of notable and high-profile books publishing in the coming weeks. In most cases, the reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that the reviews shown do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, please send us a message with the mainstream media reviews that you would like to see added.
Nancy Grossman works for the Honors Program at DePaul University in Chicago, where she teaches courses in creative writing and young adult fiction. She lives in a Chicago suburb with her family. A World Away is her debut novel. Visit her online at www.nancy-grossman.com.
"Strong characters, riveting plot and an honest look at life in the Australian outback make it easy to give this 5-stars!"
—BookBrowse
Welcome to the Pine Away Motel and Cabins
by Katarina Bivald
A heartwarming story of love, friendship, and the art of living.
Reader Reviews
American Dirt
by Jeanine Cummins
A new American classic, and the first book to ever score a perfect 5-stars in BookBrowse's early reader program!
Reader Reviews
Publishing Soon!
The Adventurer's Son
"A brave and marvelous book. A page-turner that will rip your heart out."
--Jon Krakauer
Visitors can view some of BookBrowse for free. Full access is for members only.
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
Subscribe to receive some of our best reviews, "beyond the book" articles, book club info, and giveaways by email.
