While working at the local hotel, the drowned body of a young woman washes onto the shore and gets Mattie thinking again of the loss of her mother, her familys struggles, and her unhappy life in her small community, but when she reads the girls letters, Mattie is inspired and becomes determined to follow her dream of moving to New York City to become a writer. 50,000 first printing.

 

This book is the winner of numerous awards. It was recognised in the Fiction - YA category by the La Times Book Award. It was recognised in the Grades 10-12 category by the Young Reader's Choice Award. It also was recognised by the Carnegie Award. The CILIP Carnegie Medal is awarded by childrens librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people. It was recognised in the YA category by the Charlotte Award. Also it was recognised by the Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers. It was recognised by the Iowa High School Book Award. It was recognised in the YA category by the Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award. It was recognised by the Tayshas Reading. It was recognised in the YA category by the Jefferson Cup. It was recognised in the YA category by the Michael L Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature.

This book has been graded for interest at 14+ years.

There are 400 pages in this book. This book was published 2003 by Harcourt Children's Books .

Jennifer Donnelly lives in Brooklyn, New York. This is her first novel and marks the beginning of an incredibly assured and confident literary voice.