A Formal Feeling

by Zibby Oneal

Sixteen-year-old Anne, home from boarding school for the holidays, has difficulty accepting her new stepmother's presence in the house that holds so many memories of her dead mother.

Genres: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Fiction

162 pages, Hardcover

First published September 20, 1982

About the author

Zibby Oneal was born on March 17, 1934, in Omaha, Nebraska. "My mother loved books, both for their content and because they are beautiful objects. Our house was full of them. She read aloud to us a great deal. I can remember finding it miraculous that she could look at the strange black marks on a page and see a story there. I planned to fill pages with black marks of my own as soon as I learned how to make them. Wanting to write goes back that far anyway."

"[Our] house ... was full of paintings as well, and though I am no artist, I think in terms of color and composition. All my books have begun with a picture in mind--a character and a place visualized. When I can see these things clearly--almost as if they were a painting on a wall--then I can begin to write about them."

Reviews

[Elizabeth]

Thoughtful YA novel about teenager coping with the aftermath of mother's death.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoughtfully paced, clearly written, and full of language that simply glows. If you can get your hands on a copy, this is definitely worth your time! (Also, it's set in my hometown. ^^)