Yours Truly - Softcover

Pitcher, Annabel

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0316246786 ISBN 13: 9780316246781

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2014

Synopsis

Previously published under the title Ketchup Clouds
Dear Mr. S. Harris,
Ignore the blob of red in the top left corner. It's jam, not blood, though I don't think I need to tell you the difference. It wasn't your wife's jam the police found on your shoe.
I know what it's like.
Mine wasn't a woman. Mine was a boy. And I killed him three months ago exactly.

Zoe has an unconventional pen pal -- Mr. Stuart Harris, a Texas Death Row inmate and convicted murderer. But that's okay, because Zoe has an unconventional story to tell. A story about how she fell for two boys, betrayed one of them, and killed the other.

Hidden away in her backyard shed in the middle of the night with a jam sandwich in one hand and a pen in the other, Zoe gives voice to her heart and her fears after months of silence. Mr. Harris may never respond to Zoe's letters, but at least somebody will know her story -- somebody who knows what it's like to kill the person you love. Only through her unusual confession can Zoe hope to atone for her mistakes that have torn lives apart, and work to put her own life back together again.
Rising literary star Annabel Pitcher pens a captivating second novel, rich with her distinctive balance between humor and heart. Annabel explores the themes of first love, guilt, and grief, introducing a character with a witty voice and true emotional resonance.

About this title

About the Author:

Annabel Pitcher graduated from Oxford University with a degree in English literature and went on to work in television. Her debut novel, My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, was nominated for more than fourteen UK awards, including the CILIP Carnegie Medal, the Guardian children's fiction prize, the Waterstones Children's Book Prize, the Dylan Thomas Prize, and two Galaxy British Book Awards. Annabel was also named one of the Guardian's ten favorite children's authors. Ketchup Clouds (now titled Yours Truly) won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize in the UK. She lives in Yorkshire, England, with her husband, son, and dog.

Review:

Praise for Yours Truly, formerly titled Ketchup Clouds:Winner of the Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Young AdultWinner of the Waterstones Children's Book PrizeA YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick
* "It's not just suspense that drives this epistolary page-turner, but Zoe's authentic emotional responses and unyielding wit...[Yours Truly] shows just how easy it is to make mistakes and how hard love can be."―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

* "By turns heartbreaking and hilarious... Zoe's voice is witty and introspective as she explores issues relating to family, grief, and love."―Booklist (starred review)

* "Zoe's introspective and surprisingly humorous voice will strike a chord with readers as they dwell on the space between guilt and innocence."―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Zoe's original mind, turns of phrase, and sprightly narrative style give her story quick, light momentum and moments of lyricism...Sharp, articulate perceptions and a measure of suspense-as well as a lively thread of wit and humor-make this a very engaging read."―The Horn Book

Praise for My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece:* "[A] striking debut. Realistic, gritty, and uplifting."―Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

* "Straddles that fine line between funny and tragic... As a study of grief's collateral damage, it deals with the topic realistically without losing sight of hope."―Booklist (starred review)

* "In this powerfully honest, quirkily humorous debut novel...Pitcher tackles grief, prejudice, religion, bullying, and familial instability."―Publishers Weekly (starred review)

* "Compelling and believable...by turns heartbreaking and hysterically funny... This is an important book that could be used in classes and book-discussion groups. Don't let it fall through the cracks."―School Library Journal (starred review)

About this edition

• Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 0316246786
• ISBN 13: 9780316246781
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 288