Lexiland

Two years ago Emma’s twin sister Laura died at their birthday party, and life hasn’t felt quite right since. Her parents argue, are overprotective of her and are hiding something about Laura’s death, but all Emma feels is lonely and invisible – pushing away her bothersome little brother, parents and potential new friends in favour of talking to Laura’s voice at night.

Then Lexi arrives in her life. Not every friendship is instant or easy at the beginning. Every time Emma tries to talk to Lexi, she finds herself saying the wrong thing. It’s a rocky road to friendship, but Emma finds Lexi is outspoken as Laura was, and that it might be what she needs to discover and face some home truths.

The book gives a tender rendering of grief in day-to-day family life without overplaying issues. Emma’s sympathetic search for identity shows how a good friend can help you rediscover the wideness of the world when it shrinks with the death of a loved one.