And We're Off
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4.0 • 3 Ratings
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
A Seventeen Magazine Best Book of the Year
“A winsome, hilarious tale about losing the map and finding a better way to a happy ending. I loved it!” —#1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner
Seventeen-year-old Nora Holmes is an artist, a painter from the moment she could hold a brush. She inherited the skill from her grandfather, Robert, who's always nurtured Nora's talent and encouraged her to follow her passion. Still, Nora is shocked and elated when Robert offers her a gift: an all-expenses-paid summer trip to Europe to immerse herself in the craft and to study history's most famous artists. The only catch? Nora has to create an original piece of artwork at every stop and send it back to her grandfather. It's a no-brainer: Nora is in!
Unfortunately, Nora's mother, Alice, is less than thrilled about the trip. She worries about what the future holds for her young, idealistic daughter—and her opinions haven't gone unnoticed. Nora couldn't feel more unsupported by her mother, and in the weeks leading up to the trip, the women are as disconnected as they've ever been. But seconds after saying goodbye to Alice at the airport terminal, Nora hears a voice call out: "Wait! Stop! I'm coming with you!"
And . . . they’re off.
13 Little Blue Envelopes meets Gilmore Girls in this fun, funny, and bittersweet summer adventure from Observer writer and the hilarious voice behind @GuyInYourMFA, Dana Schwartz.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Schwartz, a writer for the New York Observer and the creator of the popular @DystopianYA and @GuyInYourMFA Twitter accounts, debuts with the story of 17-year-old Nora Parker-Holmes, whose summer trip to Europe is upended by her mother's spontaneous decision to tag along. Nora and her mother bicker their way through Paris, Amsterdam, and Ireland, where Nora has been accepted as a summer fellow at an art colony. She longs to follow in the footsteps of her grandfather, a famous artist who has paid for this trip and given her art-related assignments for each city, such as sketching portraits on Paris's Left Bank. Nora's time in Ireland and the friends she makes there (including romantic interest Callum) help her character deepen beyond her anger at her mother. This story follows a predictable trajectory as Nora comes to see her mother's presence as lucky, but her journey to understand who she is, both as a person and an artist, is rewarding, as is the evident love behind her grandfather's assignments and advice. Ages 12 up.
