The Nature of Jade

by Deb Caletti

High-school senior Jade has a lot going on in her life. She has a heavy courseload at school. Her friends are being pulled in different directions as the school year draws to a close. Her parents are at odds, especially when her mothers' excessive involvement in organizing school activities leads to a flirtation with the school librarian. Through it all, she keeps calm via thorough talks with her therapist, repetitively counting up the words in sentences on her fingers, knocking on doorframes and watching elephants from the nearby local zoo on a webcam. Her therapist encourages her to reach out and do more than just watch the elephants. She becomes interested in a young man she sees repeatedly on the webcam- and feels they have a connection because he also seems interested in elephants. She wonders why he always has a young child with him. Her attempts to meet the boy flounder, but she starts to volunteer at the zoo, working with the elephants, and gets a second chance. Their brief meeting gradually evolves into a relationship, one she hides from her parents and friends: because Sebastian is a teenage father. With a secret. That threatens to undermine all Jade is hoping for.

I liked this book. The voice of its young protagonist is insightful and lively. It's not about a teen working through problems or facing the world on her own- her family and the rocky relationship with her mother, her simultaneous annoyance at and tenderness towards her younger brother- are very much a part of the story. People in this book aren't perfect- Jade's new love interest, for all his positive traits, has flaws as well as anyone else. Jade struggles to make the right choice when she finally learns what is really going on. I'm glad the book has a positive yet realistic ending- it's not all wrapped up super tidy, but satisfying enough for the reader.

And the setting was a nice touch. It's in Seattle and there was just enough atmosphere to remind me of where I grew up. The author is from the area, which helps a lot in getting the details accurate!

Borrowed from the public library.

Rating: 3/5       288 pages, 2007

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