Protected
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
An inspiring and achingly honest story of a girl with the courage to endure, hope, and even heal in the face of unimaginable tragedy, perfect for fans of Sarah Dessen's Just Listen.
I have three months left to call Katie my older sister. Then the gap will close and I will pass her. I will get older. But Katie will always be fifteen, eleven months and twenty-one days old.
Hannah has survived high school by putting up walls. At first, they were meant to protect her from the relentless bullying that no one would defend her from, not even her popular older sister, Katie. Then Katie died, and, in a cruel twist of fate, Hannah's daily torment abruptly stopped. Now the walls try to shut it all out—the grief, the loneliness, and the harsh truth that Katie's death has somehow improved Hannah's life.
Then something happens that Hannah couldn't have predicted—friendship comes knocking in the form of new student Josh Chamberlain. Hannah has never been so desperate for connection. But if this isn't for real, if it's just another joke, Hannah's not sure she can take it.
Praise for Protected:
"Zorn shows the devastating effects of bullying while affectingly tracing Hannah's spiritual journey, coming to terms with truths she doesn't want to face and learning how to trust. " —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Though the book tackles important issues, it reaches far beyond these flash points into a fully developed exploration of the aftermath of tragedy through strong characterization and genuine emotional appeal.”—Kirkus, Starred Review
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
High school has been a nightmare for 15-year-old Hannah McCann: awkward and vulnerable, she's become the target of cruel taunts and pranks. Hannah has also lost her best friend to a group of popular girls, and she receives little support from her social-climbing older sister, Katie, who thinks Hannah needs to stop taking "everything so seriously." Instead of following her sister's advice, Hannah withdraws. When Katie is killed in a car accident, and the teasing at school abruptly stops, Hannah retreats even further, overwhelmed by a combination of relief and sorrow. In so doing, she almost misses the opportunity to find a true friend in new student Josh, who is determined to draw her out into the world. In this frank tale of a teenager's complicated feelings and emotional defenses, Australian author Zorn shows the devastating effects of bullying while affectingly tracing Hannah's spiritual journey, coming to terms with truths she doesn't want to face and learning how to trust. Although much of the novel is tinged with sadness, there are meaningful flickers of hope as Hannah gains courage and strength. Ages 14 up.
