zeisgeist.com :: Bringing Up the Bones

Bridget Edelstein is taking a year off before she goes to college, to try to recover from the the recent death of Benji, her longtime best friend-turned-reluctant boyfriend. Rather than accept support from her friends or family, Bridget turns to Jasper, a wonderful guy willing to nurse her broken soul - when she lets him. As she comes to terms with life without Benji, and the truth about their relationship, Bridget learns that being able to love deeply and truly is essential, even if the one you love doesn't feel the same. More importantly, she discovers that happiness pinned to another person is only an illusion - now it's time to find happiness on her own.

Honor Book, 2001 Delacorte Press Prize Competition for a First Young Adult Novel
One of New York Public Library’s 2003 Books for the Teen Age

Praise For Bringing Up The Bones

"Broodingly honest." – Kirkus Reviews

"In this self-reflective first novel, the characters and conversations are believable, and the emotions of older teens are portrayed with honesty." – School Library Journal

"Girls suffering from broken hearts will relate to Bridget's changing perceptions and may even find themselves fortified in the process." – Publisher's Weekly

“Readers contemplating their own first serious relationships will relate to Bridget’s mistakes and fears and applaud her realizations.” – Booklist

“Sympathetic [and] authentic … This is a nuanced exploration of a complex character. Recommended.” – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"Lovingly crafted ode to the restorative power of the grieving process." – Amazon.com

"An unusually powerful coming of age story. ... This is a wonderful addition to YA literature and we hope for more novels from Zeises." – KLIATT (starred review)

“Bridget’s show of strength will totally warm your heart.” – Twist

If You Liked Bringing Up the Bones You May Want to Consider:

SAY GOODNIGHT, GRACIE by Julie Reece Deaver (loss, grief)
BETTER THAN RUNNING AT NIGHT by Hillary Frank (older narrator, sexuality)
LOOKING FOR ALASKA by John Green (searching for the meaning of life and death)
ROSEY IN THE PRESENT TENSE by Louise Hawes (loss, grief)
STAINED by Jennifer Richard Jacobson (loss, sexuality)
DAMAGE by A.M. Jenkins (depression)
MICK HARTE WAS HERE by Barbara Park (very different take on death but a book that inspired me during the writing process of BONES)
LIKE THE RED PANDA by Andrea Seigel (depression, suicide)