The Complete Book of Aspen

by Danna Smith

Overview

When Aspen's best friend gives her a DNA test kit, a half teaspoon of spit is all it takes to discover her entire life has been a lie.

The death of Aspen's father breaks her small family. Aspen's mother slips into depression, leaving Aspen and her brother, Cooper, to hold together the broken pieces of their lives. Time, love, and medical attention allow Aspen's mom to heal, and their family begins to find a new normal. But just as the sun starts to peek out from the dark clouds of depression and loss, Aspen and her friend Sophie get the results of their DNA tests.

Learning that her beloved late father was not her biological father-and that her mother had deceived her-ignites a wild storm of emotions. Aspen struggles with her identity and the burden of being the gatekeeper of this closely guarded family secret. When her mother refuses to reveal her biological father's name, Aspen sets out on a courageous journey to find him.

A heartbreakingly hopeful young adult novel told in narrative and creative verse by award-winning author and poet Danna Smith, based on her true DNA experience.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780578332482
Publisher:	Plumbago Press
Publication date:	05/30/2022
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.68(d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Danna Smith is the award-winning author of over twenty books for children, including The Hawk of the Castle (Candlewick), a 2018 Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year, Swallow the Leader (Clarion), a number of Little Golden Books, the forthcoming Wake Up, Freight Train! (Little Simon, March 2022), One Blue Gnu (Amicus Ink, March 2022), Rooftop Garden(Barefoot Books sing-along, May 2022), The Thank You Book (Little Simon, Fall 2022) and Peek-a-Boo Haiku (Little Simon, 2023). The Complete Book of Aspen is her debut novel based on her true DNA experience.When she was young, a pencil was Danna's favorite toy. She grew up weaving words into silly poems or stories that sparked emotion.She wrote her first poem when she was eight, her first short story when she was ten, and her first picture book when she was seventeen. It took years of practice and perseverance before she sold her first picture book manuscript to Disney-Hyperion in 2002. Today Danna's favorite toy is a keyboard. She currently lives and creates at her home in beautiful northern California wine country.