Ellen Wittlinger

My friend recently informed me of a spectacular author for teens. Her name is Ellen Wittlinger, and the books she has written are: Hard Love, Gracie's Girl, Parrotfish, The Long Night of Leo and Bree, ZigZag, Love and Lies, Blind Faith, Sandpiper, Heart on my Sleeve, Razzle, What's in a Name, Noticing Paradise, and Lombardo's Law. She is still writing, and her most recent book is Love and Lies, which was published in 2008. I have only read two books by her: Parrotfish and The Long Night of Leo and Bree. I finished each in one day, and both are spectacular.

Parrotfish is a moving story about a girl named Angela, who is a boy inside. She cuts her hair, gets new clothes, and changes her name to Grady. Grady is soon met by loads of obstacles, which he overcomes with the help of two close friends. This is a moving story, and is not soft, despite what it might sound like. I highly recommend it.

The other book I read, The Long Night of Leo and Bree, is, as the title portrays, a single night that involves two people, Leo and Bree. Leo's older sister was brutally murdered when he was thirteen, and he has never gotten over it. When the book takes place, he is seventeen and it is the fourth anniversary of his sister's death. He gets in a fight with his mother, who lost her mind after the killing, and goes for a drive to be alone with his thoughts. He sees Bree, the daughter of a rich couple, and makes a decision that will enormously alter both of their lives forever. He kidnaps her. They get to know each other, and if you read between the lines, it seems like they are falling in love. But one cannot be sure. This book alternates from Bree's and Leo's points of view, giving you a look at all the fear, pain, horror, and relief that accompanies each of them on this seemingly never ending night. Although this book is a short read, only a bit over 100 pages, I am beyond words about it's magnificence. It quickly made the top of my favorite book list. I highly recommend it, as well.

This astonishing author's website is http://www.ellenwittlinger.com/.