Second Life of Abigail Walker

Is it possible to start afresh when youre thoroughly weighted down? A timeless and entirely of-the-moment (Publishers Weekly) novel from the author of The Secret Language of Girls.Seventeen pounds. Thats the difference between Abigail Walker and Kristen Gorzca. Between chubby and slim, between teased and taunting. Abby is fine with her body and sick of seventeen pounds making her miserable, so she speaks out against Kristen and her groupiesand becomes officially unpopular. Embracing her new status, Abby heads to an abandoned lot across the street and crosses an unfamiliar stream that leads her to a boy whos as different as they come. Anders is homeschooled, and while hes worried that Abbys former friends are out to get her, hes even more worried about his dad, a war veteran home from Iraq who is dangerously disillusioned with life. But if his dad can finish his poem about the expedition of Lewis and Clark, if he can recapture the belief that there can be innocence in the world, maybe he will be okay. As Abby dives into the unexpected role as research assistant, she just as unexpectedly discovers that by helping someone else find hope in the world, there is plenty there for herself, as well.