An infant left in the trash to die. A teenage mother who never knew she was pregnant...
Before That Morning, these were the words most often used to describe straight-A student and star soccer player Devon Davenport: responsible, hardworking, mature. But all that changes when the police find Devon home sick from school as they investigate the case of an abandoned baby. Soon the connection is madeDevon has just given birth; the baby in the trash is hers. After That Morning, theres only one way to define Devon: attempted murderer.
And yet gifted author Amy Efaw does the impossible she turns Devon into an empathetic character, a girl who was in such deep denial that she refused to believe she was pregnant. Through airtight writing and fast-paced, gripping storytelling, Ms. Efaw takes the reader on Devons unforgettable journey toward clarity, acceptance, and redemption.
"It's an emotionally wrenching story that will keep readers' attention through its surprising conclusion. Ages 12up." - Publishers Weekly
"Efaw assigns herself a seemingly impossible task . . . yet somehow pulls it off in this successful button-pusher." - Booklist
"Starred Review. This is a skillfully written, emotionally raw story detailing one girl's difficult journey from denial of her circumstances to acceptance and redemption." - School Library Journal
"Young adults with smoldering parental resentment or with fixations on perfection will understand Devon's devastation at losing a cultivated future. Ages 12+." - Kirkus Reviews
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According to the author's note, "approximately one baby is abandoned to a trash can every day in the United States."
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