Skin Deep

By E.M. Crane

Book Overview

If all the world's a stage, Andrea Anderson is sitting in the audience. High school has its predictable heroes, heroines, villains, and plotlines, and Andrea has no problem guessing how each drama... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0385734794
• ISBN13: 9780385734790
• Release Date: March 2008
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 0.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 1.0" x 6.1"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

" 'You are not a surface person.' "

For Andrea Anderson, who considers herself a Nothing, these words (about not being a surface person) from her reclusive neighbor are music to her ears. As a sophomore in high school, Andrea has been hiding amongst the Dorks, Cheerleaders, Smokers, Nerds, Goths, Geniuses, and other Nothings. Her father left when she was a child, and her mother is so busy providing for the two of them and absorbing herself in trivial pursuits that Andrea feels unloved. Then she and her classmates are thrown for a loop when one of her teachers does something irrevocable. Into this jumble of a teenager's life comes the chance to help a neighbor, Mrs. Honora Menapace, who is forced into the hospital for emergency surgery. Andrea agrees stop by her house and feed her huge dog, Zena. Andrea always thought Mrs. Menapace was a crotchety old woman. Of course she had never really seen her...until day the lady of the house returns unexpectedly while Andrea is seeing to the slobbery, kind-eyed St. Bernard. Andrea becomes Honora's paid assistant and learns to see herself and the world with more confident and even trusting eyes. Yet, she must also face that she and Honora " 'met by chance at the crossroads.' " How will the sixteen-year-old handle this stark reality? Will she close up again or will she unfurl, like a rose bud, farther into the world? SKIN DEEP is E. M. Crane's acclaimed first novel. It is a book written with sureness of pitch and impeccable pace. It's alive with countless details and characters who certainly people the real world too. And it is alight with complex themes concerning the meaning of life, boldly reflecting 21st century humanist values. For example, at one juncture Andrea extols the modern notion that there is no right and wrong, and artist Honora's New Age/Bohemian attitudes don't counter her but do challenge her to reach beyond that dual view to a multiplistic one. " 'You can't outrun the sunrise.' " Honora says. She means we can't overcome the inevitable: that life isn't an endless gift. But Andrea learns what we CAN do while we live. SKIN DEEP is highly recommended to thoughtful, questioning teens and their elders alike. One doesn't have to be in total agreement with its belief system to savor its depth and the queries over which it ruminates so charmingly.

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

I can't stop thinking about this story. It is deep and completely satisfying. Andrea Anderson is a loner in high school. She plays on the sidelines of life. She has a single mom who is very demanding and her life is very dull and ordinary. She thinks of school as a theater, and as she travels the hallways she sees different soap opera scenes. The one thing that Andrea loves are dogs and long walks in the countryside. Andrea's mom works at the local hospital and when one of the neighbors is admitted, she volunteers Andrea to walk the neighbor's dog. This single event changes Andrea's life. When she meets Honora, her neighbor, and Honora's dog, Zena, Andrea finds acceptance for the first time. Honora employs Andrea to be her assistant. Honora is an artist and loves nature. She teaches Andrea about pottery, herbs, plants, dyes, and how to look at life beneath the surface. Andrea starts to be open about life and seeing people in a completely new light. This story was full of metaphors about art, life, and nature. It was also a coming of age story about a lonely young girl who finds her way in this world. I highly recommend this quiet little story about life. I promise it will stay with you for a long time afterward. Reviewed by: Marta Morrison

Stunning journey to self-realization

A brilliant story of the meaning of true intimacy and how a deep meaningful relationship can curve and shape all that follows on the journey to adulthood.

Touching story

Skin Deep is a touching story about a young woman who learns much about her self and life through relationships with other young people and significant adults. It is very well written and engages the reader in reflections of one's own life.

Skin Deep

When I started this I could not put it down . I was such an inspiring story it made me laugh and cry. It made me think about my own youth. Please read this what a great read.