Book 45: How To Build A House.

Book 45: How To Build A House

Dana Reinhardt
2008
Rating:
2.5


From Booklist


“When you live in California and have relatives in New York, everything in between feels like a big inconvenience,” says 17-year-old Harper. But even the middle of the country sounds better to Harper than her own home, which feels empty since her stepmother and stepsiblings moved out. Harper is also eager to leave Gabriel, her “sort-of boyfriend” behind, so she signs up as a summer volunteer to build houses for tornado victims in Bailey, Tennessee. In chapters that alternate between recollections of her past year and her Tennessee summer, Harper slowly reveals the events in L.A. that led to heartbreak and then the healing work, friendships, and romance she finds in Bailey. Reinhardt adds great depth to the familiar story of a teen changed by a summer escape with strong characters and perceptive, subtle explorations of love, family, sex, and friendship—all narrated in Harper’s believable voice. Teens, especially young women on the verge of independence, will see themselves in Harper, her questions, and her resilient heart. Grades 8-12. --Gillian Engberg --This text refers to the Hardcover edition
 
What Do I Think?
Well, it only took me a few days to read this book, and to be completely honest, I kind of liked it. Not as much as most other books, but it wasn't bad, like I expected. Now, I didn't connect with Harper like I wished I had and she was pretty whinny sometimes. But throughtout the book, it was interesting to watch her grow and care about other people.