Author Description

Product Description In the grand tradition of Anne of Green Gables, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and The Three Weissmanns of Westport, Andi Teran’s captivating debut novel offers a contemporary twist on a beloved classic. Fifteen-year-old orphan Ana Cortez has just blown her last chance with a foster family. It’s a group home next - unless she agrees to leave East Los Angeles for a farm trainee program in Northern California. When she first arrives, Ana can’t tell a tomato plant from a blackberry bush, and Emmett Garber is skeptical that this slight city girl can be any help on his farm. His sister Abbie, however, thinks Ana might be just what they need. Ana comes to love Garber Farm, and even Emmett has to admit that her hard work is an asset. But when she inadvertently stirs up trouble in town, Ana is afraid she might have ruined her last chance at finding a place to belong. From School Library Journal Gr 8 Up—In this modern retelling of Anne of Green Gables, Ana has been shuffled through a series of foster homes after losing both of her parents and her beloved abuela. Then she realizes that her next assignment—living and working on a farm as an intern—will be one of the most important challenges she will ever face. The author excellently incorporates parallels with L.M. Montgomery's classic, and for devoted fans, the results are quite favorable. However, the reference to gangs, drugs, and pop culture help to keep the story grounded in its contemporary setting. Teran narrates and does an exceptional job of making each character credible and genuine. VERDICT Listeners will want to finish this charming debut in one sitting. ["Debut fiction author Teran's contemporary reimagining of Anne of Green Gables brilliantly captures the essence of Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic story of a girl who will win your heart with her well-meaning imperfections": LJ 5/1/15 starred review of the Penguin book.]—Sheila Acosta, San Antonio Public Library, TX About the Author