Miracleville

Thought-provoking theological, ethical, and social questions confront 16-year-old narrator Ani and her family as personal tragedy and the exposure of long-held family secrets exacerbate the everyday challenges of a family-run business, ADHD, and awakening adolescent sexuality. Named for Saint Anne, one of Quebec%E2%80%99s patron saints, Ani strives to live up to her namesake, but struggles with un-saintly feelings of irritation and envy toward her exuberant, impulsive, and sensual younger sister, Colette. An eclectic assortment of neighbors%E2%80%94a reclusive, wheelchair-bound amputee; an herbalist raising a playboy teenage grandson; and a newly arrived, handsome priest who turns out to be a special friend of Ani%E2%80%99s mother%E2%80%94provide mystery and intrigue. They also play significant roles in Ani%E2%80%99s life, awakening her self-awareness and her understanding of spiritual struggles faced by previous generations. In this sensitive examination of the complexities of faith, Polak (The Middle of Everywhere) captures the perplexing nuances of a town whose economy depends on and caters to pilgrim tourists, which affects the beliefs of local inhabitants, creating both skeptics and devout believers. Ages 12%E2%80%93up. (Apr.)