cover image Shadow and Light

Shadow and Light

Katharine Jay Bacon. Margaret K. McElderry Books, $14.95 (197pp) ISBN 978-0-689-50431-0

Emma is thrilled to be working on her grandmother Gee's farm in Vermont for the summer. But as soon as Emma arrives, she sees that all isn't right with Gee. Although Emma's days are taken up with managing Gee's barn and training her horses, she begins to worry about what could be wrong with her beloved grandmother. Eventually she learns the truth: Gee has a terminal illness. But Gee wants to live her last summer to the fullest, so Emma and Gee's friendly young lawyer, Jim, have to keep the sad news to themselves until Gee is ready to let the rest of the family know. Along with her sorrow, Emma has to cope with the now-adult attentions of a boy who had once been her childhood playmate. The end for Gee comes sooner than expected, but the clan still gathers together over Labor Day weekend to celebrate Emma's 16th birthday as planned. And for one brief moment, Emma feels that Gee has honored her promise to be there. This extremely affecting book is more unified in tone and better worked out than its predecessor, Pip and Emma. Readers are sure to empathize with Emma's struggle to deal with her sorrow and newly awakened sexuality. Ages 12-up. (March)