Heart in a Body in the World, A

Annabelle has to run – following a traumatic event she can’t think of anything to do but run. She sets out from Seattle to run to Washington, DC, and as she runs she reveals that her best friend and ex-boyfriend were murdered by an outsider who Annabelle befriended and she suffers tremendous guilt believing it is her fault that her friends were killed. Annabelle’s journey is not only a physically demanding one but also an emotional journey as she relives and analyzes the events and realizes she can move past them. This fast-paced novel for grades 9-12 deals with timely issues of gun violence, relationships, grief, and friendships and is suitable as an individual or group novel. Social considerations noted.