Compelling story of a girl who has her first sexual experience in eighth grade (with her older brothers supposed friend), is caught in the act by her father, and has the story circulated to the point where everyone knows what happened—except that no one really knows, because none of the versions are hers. I was really impressed by the emotional impact of the story, especially since it’s told in first person which sometimes seems to me to create emotional distance. I thought Zarr did an especially good job of describing why Deanna went along with what Tommy wanted, and her eventual coming to terms with things felt real and believable to me. ( )

I loved this book. It is an honest portrayal about having sex the first time and being too young and the emotions that come with it. The novel also describes the effect of such experiences on a girl's reputation. It is not, however, a morality tale. We see how Deanna is seduced and we also see that the older boy is not as heartless as he first appears. The book also describes the effect of this experience on all aspects of Deanna's life--her family, her friendships, her perception of the future. Ultimately, she learns how others forgive her and how she can forgive herself. The ending is especially good because it is not neatly tied up. It's ambiguity, while hopeful, feels realistic. ( )

Reviewed by Amber Gibson for TeensReadToo.com

Have you ever done something that you wish you could take back? Something that changed your life forever?

We've all been there. We've all done something that we regret. Just like all of us, Deanna was once caught doing something that she wasn't proud of. Unfortunately for her, it almost ruined her teen years. Just one dumb relationship, sprinkled with naiveté and trust, and suddenly Deanna finds herself with the vulgar label of the school slut. It wasn't what she'd asked for; she'd only ever been with one guy. But the stories just won't stop. Like a horrible rerun of a hated sitcom, it seems like everywhere she turns, Deanna is confronted with what she did one night in a boy's car--and the fact that her father caught her doing it.

Deanna's story is touching, and the worst example of how one event can seem to define a person's life. But like the fighter she is, Deanna tries to move on and just live her life as normally as possible, with her two best friends and her family. But her family life isn't exactly picturesque. Her older brother, his wife Stacy, and their baby daughter are living in the basement. Her father is always arguing with Stacy, and Deanna thinks that he hates Stacy almost as much as he hates her since that fateful night when Deanna's life fell apart. Her mother loves her and tries so hard to give Deanna the care that she needs, but somehow it doesn't quite make up for the fact that their family is just barely scraping by. On top of all that, Deanna doesn't know if she'll ever make it out of Pacifica, a little dump of a town in the otherwise glamorous state of California.

After sophomore year is over, Deanna is stuck at home all summer. To get out of the house and keep her busy, she gets her first job at a little local pizza parlor. There, she discovers that the same boy who came so close ruining her life three years earlier is now her co-worker. While she struggles to understand her feelings towards him, she is also struggling at home to live with the strange family arrangement and someday find a way out.

Over the course of the summer, Deanna learns a lot about herself, her friends, and her family. By the time she returns to high school as a junior, she has a much better understanding of who she is, and that nobody else can define her. Sara Zarr did a wonderful job of creating Deanna, such a vulnerable character whose thoughts and actions are so believable. Never again will I judge somebody from a story I once heard about them, after seeing Deanna's account of just how much that can hurt. ( )

Teenagers are my life (I'm a high school teacher) but they do not trust adults to understand the realities and pressure of teen life. Sara Zarr captures the teen voice with perfect accuracy in The Story of a Girl her first published novel. I recommend this novel to young ladies and gents that want to read a story that resonates with the reality of teen life today. The female lead, Deanna, becomes sexually active in 8th grade and when the boy she trusted and is intimate with blabs the details her reputation is ruined. The novel explores Deanna's world and her attempt to cope and move past a reputation she can't shake. Zarr has excellent prose and was very subtle when introducing intimate scenes. The novel is appropriate for some middle school and nearly all high school students. ( )

Will Kanye West's reputation ever recover from his antics at the VMA's? Does he regret his behavior?

Have you ever regretted something, wondering if your community will ever be able to forget it so you can move past it?

In the 2009-10 California Young Reader Medal nominee Story of a Girl, Deanna is wondering the same thing. When she was 13, her father caught her having sex with 17-year-old Tommy. Rumors spread, and now, 3 years later, people are still gossiping about her. Wort of all, Deanna's father hasn't had a real conversation with her since that day. As her family life falls apart, she relies on her brother and her 2 best friends, who are a couple. Deanna feels lonely and is trying to figure out an escape. As I read this book, I found myself caring about her, rooting for her, and hoping she would figure it all out. She is a girl who made a mistake which took over her life. Will she (and the people she cares about) get past it? ( )