Books with author Julia Watts

Set in rural Tennessee, QUIVER, a YA novel by Julia Watts, focuses on the unlikely friendship between two teens from opposite sides of the culture wars. Libby is the oldest child of six, going on seven, in a family that adheres to the "quiverfull" lifestyle: strict evangelical Christians who believe that they should have as many children as God allows because children are like arrows in the quiver of "God's righteous warriors." Meanwhile, her new neighbor, Zo is a gender fluid teen whose feminist, socialist, vegetarian family recently relocated from the city in search of a less stressful life. Zo and hir family are as far to the left ideologically as Libby's family is to the right, and yet Libby and Zo, who are the same age, feel a connection that leads them to friendship―a friendship that seems doomed from the start because of their families' differences. Through deft storytelling, built upon extraordinary character development, author Watts offers a close examination of the contemporary compartmentalization of social interactions. The tensions that spring from their families’ cultural differences reflect the pointed conflicts found in today’s society, and illuminate a path for broader consideration.

Set in rural Tennessee, QUIVER, a YA novel by Julia Watts, focuses on the unlikely friendship between two teens from opposite sides of the culture wars. Libby is the oldest child of six, going on seven, in a family that adheres to the "quiverfull" lifestyle: strict evangelical Christians who believe that they should have as many children as God allows because children are like arrows in the quiver of "God's righteous warriors." Meanwhile, her new neighbor, Zo is a gender fluid teen whose feminist, socialist, vegetarian family recently relocated from the city in search of a less stressful life. Zo and hir family are as far to the left ideologically as Libby's family is to the right, and yet Libby and Zo, who are the same age, feel a connection that leads them to friendship—a friendship that seems doomed from the start because of their families' differences. Through deft storytelling, built upon extraordinary character development, author Watts offers a close examination of the contemporary compartmentalization of social interactions. The tensions that spring from their families’ cultural differences reflect the pointed conflicts found in today’s society, and illuminate a path for broader consideration.

Abandoned by her mother and raised by her loving but religiously zealous grandmother, 16-year-old Heavenly Faith Simms (H.F. for short) has never felt like she belonged anywhere. When she finds her mother's address in a drawer, she and her best friend, Bo, an emotionally repressed gay boy, hit the road in Bo's scrap heap of a car and head south. Their journey through the heart of the American South awakens both teens to the realization that there is a life waiting for them that is very different from what they have known and that the concept of family is more far-reaching than they had ever imagined.

1944. When sixteen-year-old Ruby Pickett and her family move to the new, government-built city of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, Ruby knows that her daddy’s new job will help the war effort, but she has no idea how. Ruby is not alone in her lack of knowledge, as the city’s true purpose is a carefully guarded secret. A thinker and a reader, Ruby has always been restless, and she finds Oak Ridge a much more stimulating environment than her old home in rural Southeastern Kentucky. Ruby finds a kindred spirit in twenty-three-year-old Iris, a wife and mother who has moved to Oak Ridge with her scientist husband and is frustrated by the intellectual limitations of being a full-time housewife. Ruby and Iris’s relationship starts as friendship but deepens in emotional intensity until it, like the purpose of Oak Ridge itself, is a dangerous secret.Chosen as one of the Top ten books by ALA Rainbow List Committee

Miranda Jasper just wants her life to go back to normal. For Miranda, "normal" means living in a spooky old house in tiny Wilder, Kentucky, with her mom and granny who, like her, share a mysterious power called The Sight. It also means hanging out with her two best friends, Adam, a city kid who's had to adjust to small-town life, and Abigail, the ghost who haunts Miranda's room. But things are changing. Miranda's mom has a new boyfriend, which changes things at home, and Adam announces he'll be moving away at the end of the school year. Worst of all, Miranda is rapidly approaching the age where she'll be too old to communicate with ghosts, which means she'll lose Abigail forever. When Caylie, a classmate whose mother has been jailed under false charges, approaches Miranda and Adam, they know it's probably the last time the three of them--girl, guy, and ghost--will perform an investigation together. This adventure takes Miranda, Adam, and Abigail into dangerous territory as they try to save Caylie's mom and as Miranda must decide how much she's willing to risk for the chance to keep her ghostly companion.Third in the Spirits Series

Miranda Jasper is different from the other kids in the small town of Wilder, Kentucky. Like all the women in her family, she has the Sight--the ability to see into other people's thoughts. Though her granny assures Miranda that the Sight is a gift, it often feels like a curse, especially when Miranda's middle-school classmates label her "the witch girl." At first Miranda has only one friend her age, Abigail, the ghost of a long-dead girl who haunts Miranda's family's Victorian mansion. But then Adam So comes to Wilder. Adam is different, too, as a horror movie-obsessed urban kid who is shocked to learn that his is the only Asian family in all of Wilder. United by their differences, Miranda and Adam become friends, and Miranda introduces an amazed Adam to Abigail. Soon Adam tells his two new comrades about strange, supernatural goings-on in his house. Acting on their curiosity, the three unlikely detectives--girl, guy, and ghost--unearth the story of a horrific crime committed in their town seventy years before--a crime for which an innocent young man was punished. Spooky and suspenseful, Kindred Spirits is the story of three extraordinary friends who use all powers available to them, from the internet to ESP, to try to end their town's legacy of injustice.

Twelve-year-old Miranda Jasper has the Sight, a gift that allows her to see into other people's thoughts. Most regular kids are scared of Miranda and avoid her; however, Miranda does have two friends who definitely aren't regular kids: horror-movie obsessed Adam who has moved to Wilder from the big city, and Abigail, the ghost of a girl who died in the 1800s. Lately the kids' hometown of Wilder, Kentucky, has been going through some changes. A meat-packing plant has opened, bringing new workers to the area, many of whom are Latino. Miranda and Adam are delighted by the growing diversity and are even more delighted by El Mariachi, the excellent new Mexican restaurant that has opened in town. But not all Wilder residents are happy with the town's new Latino population. The Latino kids at Wilder are teased and excluded, and Isabella, whose father owns El Mariachi, tells Miranda and Adam that someone has vandalized the restaurant. When another attack follows, one that endangers both the business and its customers, Miranda, Abigail, and Adam vow to discover the identity of the vandal. But as they put both their natural and supernatural detecting skills to use, they uncover not just the truth behind the vandalism, but a terrible secret that haunts their community.

Abandoned by her mother and raised by her loving but religiously zealous grandmother, 16-year-old Heavenly Faith Simms (H.F. for short) has never felt like she belonged anywhere. When she finds her mother's address in a drawer, she and her best friend, Bo, an emotionally repressed gay boy, hit the road in Bo's scrap heap of a car and head south. Their journey through the heart of the American South awakens both teens to the realization that there is a life waiting for them that is very different from what they have known and that the concept of family is more far-reaching than they had ever imagined.Julia Watts is the author of the novels Wedding Bell Blues, Piece of My Heart, Phases of the Moon, and Wildwood Flowers. She lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Miranda Jasper is different from the other kids in the small town of Wilder, Kentucky. Like all the women in her family, she has the Sight―the ability to see into other people’s thoughts. Though her granny assures Miranda that the Sight is a gift, it often feels like a curse―especially when Miranda’s middle-school classmates start calling her “the witch girl.” Miranda has only one real friend her age, Abigail, who just happens to be the ghost of the girl who haunts Miranda’s family’s Victorian mansion. But then Adam moves to town and Adam, it seems, is a bit different too. United by their differences, Miranda and Adam become friends, and soon Miranda introduces an amazed Adam to her friend Abigail. When Adam tells his two new comrades about strange, supernatural goings-on in his house, the three unlikely detectives―girl, guy, and ghost―unearth the story of a horrible crime committed in their town nearly seventy years before―a crime for which an innocent young man was punished. Kindred Spirits is the spooky and suspenseful story of three extraordinary friends who use everything from the Internet to ESP in their quest to end their town’s legacy of injustice.

Twelve-year-old Miranda Jasper has the Sight, a gift that allows her to see into other people's thoughts. Most regular kids are scared of Miranda and avoid her; however, Miranda does have two friends who definitely aren't regular kids: horror-movie obsessed Adam who has moved to Wilder from the big city, and Abigail, the ghost of a girl who died in the 1800s. Lately the kids' hometown of Wilder, Kentucky, has been going through some changes. A meat-packing plant has opened, bringing new workers to the area, many of whom are Latino. Miranda and Adam are delighted by the growing diversity and are even more delighted by El Mariachi, the excellent new Mexican restaurant that has opened in town. But not all Wilder residents are happy with the town's new Latino population. The Latino kids at Wilder are teased and excluded, and Isabella, whose father owns El Mariachi, tells Miranda and Adam that someone has vandalized the restaurant. When another attack follows, one that endangers both the business and its customers, Miranda, Abigail, and Adam vow to discover the identity of the vandal. But as they put both their natural and supernatural detecting skills to use, they uncover not just the truth behind the vandalism, but a terrible secret that haunts their community.