Windfall

Best friends Alice and Teddy have not had a lot of luck in their lives; Alice’s parents died in an accident when she was young and Teddy’s dad abandoned his family. As Teddy’s 18th birthday approaches Alice buys him a lottery ticket and realizes she has feelings for him, but when Teddy wins $140 million their relationship is strained as they deal with the pressure of having the money, graduating from high school, and figuring out what kind of adults they want to be. This coming-of-age novel for grades 7-12 has interesting and relatable characters, is suitable for literature circles, journal writing, and self-exploration, and deals with issues of grief, unrequited love, and coming of age.