After Zero by Christina Collins is on the 2019 Texas Lone Star Reading List

We are thrilled to share that After Zero by Christina Collins is on the 2019 Texas Lone Star reading list! Click "Read More" below for more information about the list, the book, and the author. 

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About the Texas Lone Star Reading List

The Texas Lone Star reading list is sponsored by the Texas Library Association, and developed by librarians from the Young Adult Round Table. The purpose of the list is to encourage students in grades 6--8 to explore a variety of books. The list supports recreational reading rather than a specific curriculum.The Lone Star reading list is the middle school equivalent of the Texas Bluebonnet List.

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About the book

“Powerful and poetic.” —John David Anderson, author of Posted and Ms. Bixby’s Last Day

Elise carries a notebook full of tallies, each page marking a day spent at her new public school, each stroke of her pencil marking a word spoken. A word that can't be taken back. Five tally marks isn’t so bad. Two is pretty good. But zero? Zero is perfect. Zero means no wrong answers called out in class, no secrets accidentally spilled, no conversations to agonize over at night when sleep is far away.

But now months have passed, and Elise isn't sure she could speak even if she wanted to—not to keep her only friend, Mel, from drifting further away—or to ask if anyone else has seen her English teacher's stuffed raven come to life. Then, the discovery of a shocking family secret helps Elise realize that her silence might just be the key to unlocking everything she's ever hoped for...

Praise for After Zero:

“This tender and truthful book stays with you long after the words have gone.” —Patricia Forde, author of The List

“A must read. After Zero reminds us of so many loved ones of those suffering from anxiety or depressive disorders. It is a story that will hopefully foster empathy and maybe even communication with our ‘quiet’ peers.” —Wesley King, author of OCDaniel

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About the author

​Christina Collins grew up in Massachusetts and now lives in Northern Ireland, where she’s always on the lookout for castle ruins and secret gardens. She holds a master of fine arts in creative writing from George Mason University and is pursuing a PhD in creative writing at Queen’s University Belfast. She has taught at both universities and has been a writer-in-residence at the Kimmel Harding Nelson Center for the Arts as well asthe Art Commune program in Armenia. After Zero is her debut novel. Learn more at christinacollinsbooks.com, or follow her on Twitter (@stinacoll).

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