Girl in Pieces

Seventeen-year-old Charlotte has experienced much loss in her life – her father, her best friend, her stable home life, her innocence – and dealing with it has lead her to self-harm and cutting. When she is released from treatment due to financial reasons, she tries to cope on her own without support or money, but is lured back into a life of temptation, self-doubt, and unsafe and unethical situations. This powerful novel for senior students would be most appropriate for literature circles as it deals with sensitive subjects of trauma, cutting, self-harm, drug abuse, homelessness, rape, and depression. Teacher guidance may be required.