cover image Always, Julia

Always, Julia

Marcia Wood. Atheneum Books, $13.95 (119pp) ISBN 978-0-689-31728-6

At age 15, Jane Gray idolizes her older sister Julia, who has left their Missouri home for New York City to become a writer. Julia's frequent letters about her successes in the city bewitch her sister (``Crowds of people surge in tides along the streets. Lights flash. Whistles blow''), who cannot understand why Mother is so furious at Julia for leaving. But when Jane travels to the city to visit, she discovers that the inspiriting letters are more fiction than fact. The younger girl begins to understand the devastation born out of broken dreams and shattered hopes. This carefully crafted story poignantly conveys Jane's thoughts and feelings through forceful, well-defined images. In contrast, Julia's letters freshly capture a great city's vibrancy and vigor. Strong characterization and a precisely paced text strengthen the novel's believability and power. While Wood judiciously chooses to not contrive a happy ending for her story, she affirms the importance of aspirations and emphasizes the need for hope. Ages 10-14. (Mar.)