Graveyard Girl

By Wendy A. Lewis

In June of 1982 a group of high school students in the town of Lee re-enact the previous summer's glitzy royal wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana. Organized by their teachers, the group receives extensive coverage in the town newspaper and the school yearbook.

In this set of twelve linked short stories, each of the participants in the "Wedding of the Century" seeks out his or her own truth in the years that follow. We learn about the network of love, fear and intrigue that bind young people who shared this fairy-tale event. And we learn about the real-life demons they subsequently confront, the advantages they celebrate, the disadvantages they endure, and the temptations they face. For Tish, life is never the same after the tragic death of her best ex-friend Alex. Derek, the mock wedding's prince, ends up as a hockey star while Jewel, Diana in the mock wedding, has her own romance to play out with tougher consequences. And Naylor, who had the second-banana role of Prince Edward, meets up with an extraordinary stranger whose flight to freedom lifts Naylor from a hum-drum existence. The last word comes from the wry voice of Ginger - always the outsider - who snapped the mock royal photograph and who, years later, contemplates the lives of her one-time classmates from the vantage of the Lee town cemetery.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0889952027
• ISBN13: 9780889952027
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Red Deer Press
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.3" x 8.3"
• Age Range: 12 to 16 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 11

Customer Reviews

Graveyard Girl

In June 1982, Prince Charles wed Lady Diana in what was to become the wedding of the century. One year later, a group of students, lead by their teachers, reenact that wedding --- glitz, glam, and all. In GRAVEYARD GIRL, a collection of short stories, first time YA author, Wendy A. Lewis, explores the lives of the participants, post-wedding. And like Prince Charles and Princess Diana, each faces their fair share of problems: births, deaths, successes, and failures. In "Revelations," Mandy, a.k.a. the royal bridesmaid, faces the death of her mother, a wayward cousin, and a crisis in faith. In "The Puzzle," Naylor, a.k.a. Prince Edward, struggles with haikus, unpopularity, and the mysteries of life. In "Tango," Jewel, a.k.a. Lady Diana, must confront teenage pregnancy, the disapproval of her family, and early marriage. Although the Royal Wedding aspect of this collection seems a bit contrived (the stories could stand on their own without the wedding glue), Lewis's depiction of life's struggles rings true, as does her understanding of human behavior. --- Reviewed by Tammy L. Currier

Definetly one I can come back to

I'm 19 and I first read this story when I was 16. I still love this book and it is one of my all time favourites. The ability of being able to tell stories from a diverse amount of points of view is hard to attain and Lewis does it effortlessly. Read it, no matter your age, everyone can relate to something.

Not just a children's book!

What an enjoyable read! A friend of mine recommended that I read this 'cross over' book (meant for readers 14 thru adult). Each story is superbly written and could stand on its own. In fact, I would like to see Ms. Lewis expand the shorts to novels for each memorable character!