The Way Back from Broken

(Paperback)

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Description

Rakmen Cannon's life is turning out to be one sucker punch after another. His baby sister died in his arms, his parents are on the verge of divorce, and he's flunking out of high school. The only place he fits in is with the other art therapy kids stuck in the basement of Promise House, otherwise known as support group central. Not that he wants to be there. Talking doesn't bring back the dead. When he's shipped off to the Canadian wilderness with ten-year-old Jacey, another member of the support group, and her mom, his summer goes from bad to worse. He can't imagine how eight weeks of canoeing and camping could be anything but awful. Yet despite his expectations, the vast and unforgiving backcountry just might give Rakmen a chance to find the way back from broken . . . if he's brave enough to grab it. Amber J. Keyser's debut novel is a wrenching and brutally honest story of adversity and hope.

Reviews

"A quiet and memorable story of how paddling in the wilderness forces two unlikely friends to face their grief and embrace their power."Kirkus Reviews

-- (7/15/2015 12:00:00 AM)

"An impressive debut novel that takes readers on a journey rich in emotion and adventure."E. M. Kokie, author of Personal Effects

-- (5/4/2015 12:00:00 AM)

"Rare in its honesty. . . . A subtly touching tale of liberation from grief that, with its sincere existential questioning, will stay with readers."--School Library Journal

-- (9/1/2015 12:00:00 AM)

"This book is a heartbreaker, but any reader can benefit from its message of honesty, resilience, and courage."--VOYA

-- (12/1/2015 12:00:00 AM)

"With a cast of diverse well-rounded characters, poignant relationships that never become schmaltzy, and a compelling high-stakes adventure, this vivid, moving exploration of grief and recovery hits all the right notes."--starred, Booklist

-- (9/15/2015 12:00:00 AM)

Author Bio

Evolutionary biologist-turned-author Amber J. Keyser has a MS in zoology and a PhD in genetics. She writes both fiction and non-fiction for tweens and teens. Her young adult novels include Pointe, Claw (Carolrhoda Lab, 2017), an explosive story about two girls claiming the territory of their own bodies, and The Way Back from Broken (Carolrhoda Lab, 2015), a heart-wrenching novel of loss and survival (and a finalist for the Oregon Book Award). She is the co-author with Kiersi Burkhart of the middle grade series Quartz Creek Ranch (Darby Creek, 2017). Her nonfiction titles include The V-Word (Beyond Words/SimonTeen, 2016), an anthology of personal essays by women about first-time sexual experiences (Rainbow List, Amelia Bloomer list, New York Public Library Best Book for Teens and Chicago Public Library Best Nonfiction for Teens) and Sneaker Century: A History of Athletic Shoes (Twenty-First Century Books, 2015), among numerous other titles. Her forthcoming books include Tying the Knot A World History of Marriage (Twenty-First Century Books, 2018) and Underneath It All: The History of Women's Underwear (Twenty-First Century Books, 2018). More information at www.amberjkeyser.com. Connect with Amber on Twitter @amberjkeyser.