*How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt*****

*Realistic Fiction*

How to Build a House by Dana Reinhardt is an excellent novel about Harper Evans, a girl who was troubled by her parents’ divorce. She felt trapped in her home of Los Angeles, living only with her dad and occasionally her little brother, Cole. The divorce not only separated her mother from her father, but her stepsister, Tess, from her. Tess had been her best friend growing up. Now, they were almost enemies, blaming each other’s parent for the divorce. Harper felt that she needed to escape the chaos at home and decided to join a teen volunteer program. The program was designed to help a family rebuild their home due to a tornado in Tennessee. Even though Harper didn’t know anything about construction, she knew she could relate to the family. Both of their homes seemed to be ripped away from them in a matter of seconds. She worked with other teens that came from San Francisco, New York City, and Salt Lake City to name a few. The family she helped was very kind, especially their son, Teddy. Harper and Teddy ended up having a summer romance, and Harper didn’t want to leave Tennessee. She occasionally called her dad, knowing he missed her. He in turn said to call Tess. Harper tried, but she couldn’t manage to dial the last number of Tess’ phone, fearing the conversation wouldn’t make anything better. One night, she heard a knock on the door. Harper answered it and was surprised to find Tess standing there in front of her. They talked for a while, and eventually they forgave one another for what happened, realizing it wasn’t either of their faults. Over the next few days, the teens finished up the house while Tess and Harper caught up on everything they had missed out on with each other. When the time came for Harper to leave, she and Teddy promised to keep in touch. Harper felt better about leaving Tennessee, because after all, both she and Teddy now had a good place to call home.
　
Alana F. Period 3