Crooked (30 page)

ALSO BY LAURA AND TOM MCNEAL

Praise for ZIPPED

“The McNeals spin a wonderfully rich story.” —
Kirkus Reviews

“Well-realized, sympathetic teen and adult characters populate this novel packed with family problems, romance, and wry humor.”

—
School Library Journal

Winner of the PEN Center USA Literary Award
for Children's Literature

A New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age

Praise for CRUSHED

“A compelling story about youthful mistakes—and how to make amends.” —
Publishers Weekly

“McNeal fans and other young believers in human possibility will find food for thoughtful hope here.”

—
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“The dialogue rings true as do the internal thoughts, preoccupations, and uncertainties in the lives of these teens.”

—
Voice of Youth Advocates

ALSO BY LAURA AND TOM MCNEAL

THE DECODING OF LANA MORRIS

Sixteen-year-old Lana Morris wishes her life were different. She wishes Veronica Winters, her Ice Queen of a foster mother, would leave her alone. She wishes K.C. and Trina and Spink—the only teens around, not counting the “special needs” kids in the Winters house—would let her into their creepy little club. She wishes she knew what to do about her feelings for Whit, her foster father.

Then Lana stumbles into Miss Hekkity's mysterious antique shop and trades her most valued possession for a single box of paper: thirteen thick, pink-flecked sheets enclosed in a black leather case. Thirteen blank pages . . . like thirteen wishes waiting to be made. As soon as Lana's charcoal pencil meets the paper, strange events begin to unfold—whatever she draws seems to happen, and whatever she erases comes undone. But just as Lana starts to think she might actually have the power to change things, a carefully drawn wish threatens to harm those she loves most.

Award-winning authors Laura and Tom McNeal weave a warmhearted and suspenseful story about the power—and danger—of a wish.

THIS IS A BORZOI BOOK PUBLISHED BY ALFRED A. KNOPF

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the
product of the authors' imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 1999 by Laura McNeal and Tom McNeal

KNOPF, BORZOI BOOKS, and the colophon are registered trademarks of
Random House, Inc.

www.randomhouse.com/teens

Educators and librarians, for a variety of teaching tools, visit us at
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
McNeal, Laura.
Crooked / by Laura and Tom McNeal.
p. cm.
SUMMARY: Two ninth graders, Clara and Amos, suddenly find their lives turned
upside down by their families, by each other, and by two of the meanest
brothers in town.

[1. Interpersonal relations—Fiction. 2. Family problems—Fiction. 3. Schools—
Fiction. 4. Parent and child—Fiction.] I. McNeal, Tom. II. Title.
PZ7.M47879365Cr 1999
 [Fic]—dc21
99-19114

First Knopf trade paperback edition May 2007

www.randomhouse.com

eISBN: 978-0-307-43324-4

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