Orchards by Holly Thompson


A gorgeous book in verse with lovely woodcut illustrations that describes the rippling effects of teen suicide on a small group of girls in Manhattan. After Ruth, the female target of Kana Goldberg's clique, commits suicide, the girls are split up for the summer and sent to various locations. Kana ends up on in a small village in Japan, working on her family's farm, where she tries to cope with her confusion and guilt. Orchards would be an apt choice for a One Book One School program, especially in an international school setting. Click her for the book trailer (which has an incredibly bizarre soundtrack). Grade 7+

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