Synopsis
After an abrupt move across the country to San Francisco,
sixteen-year-old Livvy discovers a grandmother who she believed was dead.
Suffering from Alzheimer’s, Adelle shouts out startling details, mistakes her
own name, and seems to relive moments that may have taken place in a
concentration camp. When Livvy and her new friend Franklin D. find journal
entries from the Holocaust in Adelle’s home, Livvy begins to suspect that her
grandmother may have a shocking link to a notable figure Anne Frank.
Praise for STOLEN
SECRETS
“The author captures the desperate uncertainty of life with an alcoholic and having to parent a parent. Whip-smart Franklin has a uniquely drawn personality and his dialogue with Livvy sparkles…VERDICT An engaging coming-of-age novel recommended for libraries looking to highlight issues of alcoholism, Alzheimer’s, and family estrangement.' ―School Library Journal
“Stolen Secrets is a solid mystery with family drama and teen angst. Livvy is a likable character who is smart and perceptive at times, yet, like most teens, naive and clueless at others. The novel is easy to read and would be a good companion read for students reading Anne Frank’s diary. Stolen Secrets will need some hand-selling to teens, but once they pick it up they will not be disappointed.” ―VOYA
“This is a well-written book that sympathetically examines the roles of Holocaust survivors on both sides of the war as well as guilt and forgiveness. The main and supporting characters are funny and engaging…a good addition to those who want to read more books with a Holocaust theme. Recommended.” ―School Library Connection
“A…contemporary story with a Holocaust secret at its core….a jam-packed narrative with a full complement of tropes and topical elements: new girl; friend issues; alcoholism; family secrets, neo-Nazis; predatory elder care; armed robbery—and a romance. The grandmother’s mysterious past intrigues…” ―Kirkus Reviews
EXCERPT:
My eyes skipped back to the
house. 2846 Fillmore. A home, not a restaurant. But whose home? And why
was my mother wiping tears from her eyes?
I waited until she was a block
away before darting across the street and up the steps to the alcove porch.
Twin mailboxes hung on the stucco wall. One was slightly open. I slid my hand
inside and found an ad for a credit card, addressed to Resident. Not
helpful.
“Mailboxes are federal
property. You will be punished for stealing mail!”
The letter slipped through my
fingers and dropped on the doormat. An old woman, peering through a half-opened
door, glared at me. She wore a calf-length corduroy skirt and a cream-colored
blouse with lacy frills that curled up the front. Her eyes were like a Siamese
cat’s, almond-shaped and watery brown. Black eyeliner jagged around her lids.
“I wasn’t trying to steal
anything,” I stammered. “I was just . . .” Just what? “Leaving. I was
just leaving.”
“Don’t you dare go anywhere!”
I thought about running, but
the authority in her voice stopped me.
“Why were you snooping?” she
demanded. I scrambled for an excuse.
I thought this was where a friend lived.
I was bringing her mail
in.
I found this ad on the sidewalk
and was going to put it back in the mailbox.
It dawned on me that if this
was Mom’s new boss, the three of us might meet again one day. I didn’t want to
make up a lie that I’d have to take back later.
My arms dropped to my sides
under the lady’s withering stare. “I...I saw my mom leave your house, and...”
What could I say that wouldn’t send the message that I didn’t trust my own
mother?
“And?” the lady echoed.
“My mom said she had an
interview here this morning. I was supposed to meet her when she was done. I
thought I had the address wrong, so I checked the mailbox to—”
Her lips puckered. “I suppose
you look like Lee Newman.” My dad? How did she know him?
“Gretchen was the one
who left, you know,” she added.
I stared at her, bewildered. If
anyone had run away, it was my father. He’d gone to Australia, leaving me with
a mom fresh out of rehab. The words tripped out of my mouth. “Did she tell you
about him?”
“She shouldn’t have married
that man. Now she’s all alone with a child to raise.”
When I was twelve, Mom had
dragged me to an AA meeting, where she spilled her entire life story in fifteen
minutes to a room full of strangers. She wasn’t stupid enough to do the same
thing with a new boss, was she?
Copyright © 2017 by L.B.
Schulman
ABOUT THE
AUTHOR
STOLEN SECRETS is L.B. Schulman’s
second young adult novel. Her debut, LEAGUE OF STRAYS, was
published in 2012. She grew up in Maryland and now lives in the San Francisco
Bay Area with her husband, two daughters, and a pair of loveable mutts. When
she isn’t writing, she’s visiting genealogy sites, trying to find famous people
she’s related to. You can visit her online at LBSchulman.com.
Photo Content from L.B. Schulman
Giveaway:
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