My Life and Death by Alexandra Canarsie

" The unexpected twists and turns of the plot as she finds out what home and family really are make this coming-of-age novel a strong first offering for young adults." School Library Journal "The most remarkable aspect of this novel is Allie's voice. Her character rings clear as a teenager who covers up her hurt and bewilderment with sarcasm and a stony facade of disinterest. Anyone who works with young people will recognize Allie.... Readers will be interested in the evolution of Allie and in the way O'Keefe integrates the relationships of her characters in completely real ways." VOYA "...Alexandra, a fierce, bright, smart-mouthed girl who skips classes blithely and goes after the truth regardless of the consequences, is worth meeting." Kliatt "Humor and suspense fill the pages. Allie is an unforgettable, real character. Teenage girls will identify with her smart mouth and lack of self-esteem. This is a definite pageturner for teens. Recommended." The Book Report * 2003-2004 TAYSHAS High School Reading List (TX) * Nominee, Arizona Young Readers' Awards

Everything in fourteen-year-old Allie Canarsie’s life has gone wrong until she finds meaning investigating the circumstances behind a young boy’s unexpected death.
The new town, Nickel Park, where Allie has moved with her mother is a big disappointment. The rented trailer where they live now is cramped and depressing. School is a place to waste time and get in trouble, and friends are nonexistent. Worst of all, she has not heard from her father since he walked out on the family. Feeling cut off from those around her, Allie finds herself drawn to the funerals of strangers. Here among the black-clad, sad-eyed anonymous mourners she feels a sense of belonging.
But Allie’s strange new hobby takes an ominous turn when she becomes preoccupied with the death—and former life—of an adolescent boy named Jimmy Muller. Soon she becomes entangled in the lives of Jimmy’s best friend Dennis and Mr. Muller, the dead boy’s father. Allie’s determination to prove that Jimmy’s death was no accident sets into a motion a chain of events that forever alters her life. As she solves the troubling puzzle of Jimmy’s death, she finds some surprising answers to questions in her own life.
In this provocative and affecting novel for young adults, author Susan Heyboer O’Keefe gives voice to adolescent expressions of isolation and confusion that will resonate with young readers.