Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen (Historical Fiction) (Romance)

     I read Lock and Key by Sarah Dessen and published by Speak.  This is the story of a 17 year old girl named Ruby who has a very hard past with her family.  Her father left when she was young, her sister Cora leaves and marries, and eventually her drunken mother leaves.  Ruby is alone in the world until her sister Cora comes back into the picture and takes her in.  Ruby finds herself living with Cora and her new wealthy brother-in-law, attending a private school, and figuring out where she fits in the world.    Ruby meets the boy next door named Nate who recues her when she needs.  Ruby finds out that she's not the only one with a difficult past.
     I really love this book.  This is one of my favorite books written by Sarah Dessen.  This book might be appropriate for upper elementary aged children, but with the harsher issues, I think this book is most fitting for high school aged children.
     I don't think this would be a book that I would require all of my students to read, but one that I would allow them to choose to read for a book report.  Some assessments that might be appropriate would be to allow students to choose from selection of assessment options.  These options might include a comic strip, create a board game, create a short film, do an author study, create a new book cover for the book with summary on the back, and maybe any ideas that my students might have.
     Subject: Romance, abandonment, life and relationships, family, love, teen struggles, teens, friendship, bravery

•   Genre: Historical Fiction

•   Here is the YouTube link to the audiobook of Lock and Key.