Praise for Stranded:
Named for actress Tina Louise, Ginger on Gilligan's Island, Kelly Louise and her single mother are leaving Des Moines for her mother's hometown, Heaven, Iowa. But life is far from idyllic as the 15-year-old moves in with her cleaning-obsessed Nana, shares a bedroom with her Jesus-, kitten- and unicorn-loving cousin Natalie, undertakes the impossible task of finding a boyfriend mid-school year and becomes intrigued by the media frenzy surrounding Baby Grace, a newborn abandoned in a cornfield. Her edgy, first-person narration puts forward a drama queen in public, but she lays herself bare with self-deprecating humor in private. Occasional touches of wry humor, such as her partying classmates at Carrie Nation High School (named for the hatchet-wielding member of the Temperance Movement), punctuate Kelly Louise's angry and guilt-ridden struggles with impulsivity, sexuality, religious hypocrisy and small-town life and its gossip. When she learns the mystery of Baby Grace's murder, the teen must weigh her truthful convictions against the consequences of revealing family secrets. Kelly Louise's fresh voice will change the way readers think about good girls.--Kirkus Reviews
Praise for Freaked:
"Anyone experiencing a concert surrounded by stoned, out-of-control partiers will nod along with Scotty's long, strange trip." Voya
"Fast, wry first-person commentary" Booklist
"A coming-of-age story that has a lot of life truths" TeensRead Too
"Dutton's debut will appeal most to readers who share Scotty's taste in music and recreation." Publishers Weekly
"Freaked is a long, strange trip with a surprisingly agreeable main character and an appealing vibe." Akron Beacon Journal
"The main character of Scottie is a unique and constantly surprising invention. If you love The Grateful Dead then you'll love this book; however, I'm not much of a fan of the Dead and I STILL loved it--for its language, its wonderfully creative plot, and again, for its incredible main character, whose puzzled meditations on drugs, family, and friendship strike close to the bone.There's humor and insight on every page. Highly recommended for young adults and adults." David Crouse--Author of Copy Cats, winner of the Flannary O'Connor award for short fiction and The Man Back There winner of the Mary McCarthy award.
