Sofia lost her mother eight months ago, and her friends were 100% there for her. Now it’s a new year and they’re ready for Sofia to move on. Problem is, Sofia can’t bounce back, can’t recharge like a cellphone. She decides to write Dear Kate, an advice columnist for Fifteen Magazine, and is surprised to receive a fast reply.
Soon the two are exchanging emails, and Sofia opens up and spills all, including a few worries that are totally embarrassing. Turns out even advice columnists don’t have all the answers, and one day Sofia learns a secret that flips her world upside down.
This book is suitable for readers between 11 and 14 years of age.
Speed of Life is the heartbreaking, heartwarming story of a girl who thinks her life is over when really it’s just beginning. It’s a novel about love, family, grief, and growing up.
Carol Weston writes for all ages and has been the advice columnist at Girls’ Life since 1994. Her 16 award-winning books include Speed of Life, Ava and Pip, and Girltalk, which came out in a dozen languages. Speed of Life is a YALSA “Best Fiction for Young Adults,” and The New York Times calls it “funny, perceptive, and moving.”