Ferris Beach

by Jill McCorkle

Kate Burns has heard of the magical Ferris Beach all her life, but it's always seemed like an unreachable dream for her, trapped with her demanding mother and eccentric father. But then Misty moves to town, from Ferris Beach, no less. She and her family are everything Kate wants to be -- daring, outrageous, and fun. The two girls grow up together, sharing secrets until a fateful Fourth of July when Kate discovers that life's little surprises can't always be ignored and that the hard parts don't get better, just easier to live with . . .

Paperback

Published January 1, 2009

About the author

Five of Jill McCorkle's seven previous books have been named New York Times Notables. Winner of the New England Booksellers Award, the Dos Passos Prize for Excellence in Literature, and the North Carolina Award for Literature, she has taught writing at the University of North Carolina, Bennington College, Tufts University, and Harvard. She lives near Boston with her husband, their two children, several dogs, and a collection of toads.

Reviews

[E.B. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love her short stories and will stick with those.

[Polly Geisler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Slow moving, depressing and sad. Story of a teen growing up in a small town in SC. A new family lives in across the street and she finds a best friend. Eventually the best friend’s mother runs off with a boyfriend and their baby leaving her husband and two other kids at home, then dies in a car crash. The main character spies in a family who lives behind her and witnesses a classmate being raped. Main character’s father then dies in an accident while wiring a light at home.

[Charlette · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book. I’ve bought many copies, annotated them, and passed them along. This story is special to me and it hits different each time I read it. A big piece of me is having experienced this book. Thank you.

[Skyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I was finding myself reading this as slow as possible so I could revel in how amazing this book is. I hope to reread this one day and relive the amazing story.