Valley Girls - Hardcover

Lemon, Sarah Nicole

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1419729640 ISBN 13: 9781419729645

Publisher: Amulet Books, 2018

Synopsis

When 17-year-old Rilla is busted for partying 24 hours into arriving in Yosemite National Park to live with her park ranger sister, it’s a come-to-Jesus moment.
 
Determined to make up for her screw-up and create a stable new home for herself, Rilla charms her way into a tight-knit group of climbers. But Rilla can’t help but be seduced by experiences she couldn’t have imagined back home. She sets her sights on climbing El Capitan,  one of the most challenging routes in Yosemite, and her summer becomes one harrowing and ecstatic experience after another: first climb, first fall two thousand feet in the air, first love. But becoming the person Rilla feels she was meant to be jeopardizes the reasons why she came to Yosemite—a bright new future and a second chance at sisterhood. When her family and her future are at odds, what will Rilla choose?

About this title

About the Author:

Born and raised in the Appalachians, Sarah Nicole Lemon now lives and writes in her home in southern Maryland. She is also the author of Done Dirt Cheap, published in March 2017 by Amulet.
 

From School Library Journal:

Gr 10 Up—Rilla is sent to Yosemite to live with her park ranger older sister after running into some trouble back home in West Virginia. Looking to overcome her party girl reputation but struggling to find herself, Rilla turns to climbing. She makes friends with a bonded group of climbers and begins adventuring through the park. She sets her sights on climbing El Capitan, a 3,000-foot trek. With the help of her new friends, she trains, climbs, and begins to grow up. Readers follow as Rilla experiences her first climb, fall, and love. There is relationship and friend drama as the novel confronts issues of sexism, racism, and abusive relationships. The narrative is occasionally bogged down by too much technical climbing lingo, but an appended glossary will help clarify the terms for the uninitiated. There is also a resource list of further media, such as books and films, on Yosemite and climbing for those interested in learning more. The recreational drug use and profanity makes this more appropriate for older readers. This YA is reminiscent of Cheryl Strayed's Wild and will resonate with fans of coming-of-age and survival stories. VERDICT This tale of resilience and girl power is a great addition to libraries serving teens.—Morgan O'Reilly, Riverdale Country School, NY

About this edition

• Publisher: Amulet Books
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 1419729640
• ISBN 13: 9781419729645
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 400