diane recommends Nobody's Secret by Michaela MacColl

Nobody's Secret is a fiction book about Emily Dickinson as a young fifteen year old. Although I liked the plot, the character was not what I was expecting. When I hear Emily Dickinson, I see the little old lady who only wore white dresses and never left her house. So, as a teenager, I would imagine her to be a little more restrained than this Emily is. This Emily is a very daredevilish, headstrong teenager. So, not quite what I was expecting, but, once I got over my preconceptions, this book was amazing.

As a teenager, Emily's adventuresome attitude on life is believable, and very relatable.  MacColl manages to catch the voice of a rebellious teenager perfectly.

"'Miss, I'm sorry for making such a spectacle of myself.' 'So you should be, silly girl,' Emily said, not unkindly. 'Here, sit down and churn the butter; that will calm your nerves.' Under her breath she said, 'It always deadens mine.' Gulping, Mary Katherine nodded."

Emily doesn't want to do the tedious jobs of a housekeeper forever, so, she keeps slipping out of the house to dawdle and smell the flowers. While out, she meets a stranger, who also happens to be really cute, and then her life starts to become more problematic as she discovers secrets she can't trust anyone else to know.

This book is full of mystery, and suspense. You never can guess what strange thing she will discover next, or who might be the problem. I enjoyed this book, but if you read this expecting Emily Dickinson, you might be a little surprised to find that Emily is not the reserved person you thought she would be.

So, I would definitely recommend this book. It was well written, and it captures the attitude of any defiant teenager as they try to do what they want, and not what others think they should do.

Review copy received from the publisher.

Nobody's Secret
by Michaela MacColl
Published by Chronicle Books
March 2013
Recommended for ages 11-16