Zoe Rising

Conrad, Pam

ISBN 10: 006027218X ISBN 13: 9780060272180

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1996

Synopsis

In the sequel to the award-winning Stonewords, Zoe uses her talent for journeying through time to return to the era of her own mother's childhood, where it becomes up to Zoe to prevent a tragedy that could shatter her own future.

About this title

About the Author

Pam Conrad wrote many award-winning books for children, including the immensely popular The Tub People and The Tub Grandfather, both illustrated by Richard Egielski. She is also the author of a number of critically acclaimed novels, including Prairie Songs, a 1986 ALA Best Children's Book of the Year and a 1985 ALA Golden Kite Honor Book, and Stonewords, winner of the 1991 Edgar Allan Poe Award for Best Juvenile Mystery.

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8-As she did in Stonewords (HarperCollins, 1990), Zoe slips through the cracks of time to prevent a disaster, this time involving her fragile and estranged mother. Zoe, 14, is off to Camp Cedar Ravine with her best friend, Jed. Their lovely summer days are shattered when a fellow camper learns that his parents have been killed. The news sends Zoe into another out-of-body experience. Traumatized, she heads home to the island where she lives with her elderly grandparents to see how they are faring without her and is shocked to realize that she can control these experiences. She stumbles onto a family secret during one of these outings, which provides the climax of the story. This is not a stunning thriller though some parts, particularly the epilogue, are beautifully written. Plotting tends to drag through the first half of the story, really only picking up when Zoe attempts to rescue her five-year-old mother from a frightening neighbor. Dialogue does not always read well and most of the characters are thinly developed. There are several mentions of Zoe Louise, the "ghost" character from Stonewords, but prior knowledge of events in that book is not crucial to understanding this one. The overriding theme here seems to be that today needs to be cherished more than tomorrow or yesterday. Although Zoe comes to that conclusion sooner than most of the intended audience probably will, it is a valid point that needs to be made. An unusual and haunting addition.
Patricia A. Dollisch, DeKalb County Public Library, Decatur, GA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 006027218X
• ISBN 13: 9780060272180
• Binding: Library Binding
• Number of pages: 131