It’s a Wonderful Life

Goossens (Plastic Soup) inverts the familiar “American abroad” novel with the enjoyable story of 17-year-old Anna, a Dutch girl who spends five weeks with her “uncle” York (her late grandfather’s best friend) in the tiny, rural town of Bakerton, Pa. A quirky cinephile—she constantly quotes from movies, which are footnoted at book’s end—Anna is initially resentful that her parents pawned her off while they vacation in France, refusing to let her party with her friends in Spain. But she comes to appreciate her freedom (she stays by herself in a house on York’s property and learns to drive), and she meets several interesting locals while working at an antiques shop. The store is frequented by tourists, and Anna proves to be an innovative saleswoman, initiating a lucrative tea time and inventing film-related anecdotes about the antiques that have them flying off the shelves. Goossens constructs a believable account of Anna’s summer in the U.S. and surprises readers with a revelation about Anna’s past. Anna’s relationships are realistic, and her coming-of-age journey nicely articulates themes of identity and independence. Ages 13–up. (Oct.)