Bibliography: Ellsworth, Loretta. (2010). In a Heartbeat. New York: Walker Books for Young Readers. ISBN: 9780802720689
Plot Summary: Two teen girls who have never met will be forever connected. When 16 year old figure skater Eagan misjudges a jump in competition and hits her head on the boards, 14 year old Amelia, dying from congestive heart failure, gets the miracle she needs. But Eagan is caught somewhere between this world and the next, and Amelia starts to have new thoughts and feelings after her heart transplant. Could her new heart be making her different somehow? She seeks out her donor’s family for answers/
Critical Analysis: In a time when overly long bloated books are the norm, it is nice to read a book whose author has distilled the essence of story and character in to a few hundred pages. I admire Ellsworth for her ability to show so much about not one but two main characters. One who is shown only in death, reliving key moments of her short existence, and the other shown getting a second chance at life, but with many scenes taking place in a hospital. Both main characters are distinctly drawn, and going through the quintessential young adult journey of self-discovery with an added twist.
Secondary characters may seem less fully drawn, but they are as the two girls would see them, and in such a brief and highly focused story I think that is fine. Hints of mystery (who is Amelia’s donor? Is her new heart changing her? What is this place where Eagan is stuck? How can she move on?) and romance (Eagan leaves behind the perfect popular football player boyfriend, Amelia meets the older brother of another transplant patient) give the story depth. I even got a little bit weepy at one point in the story. (To say which part would be to spoil it!) Well crafted, this title should have wide appeal for teen girls, and has no content issues that would prevent younger teens from reading it as well.
Readalikes: Behind You by Jacqueline Woodson. After his death, Jerimiah and the people he touched when he was lived can’t seem to move on after sudden loss.
Where I Want to Be by Adele Griffith. In alternating chapters, teen sisters talk about their relationship. One sister is dead, and trying to recreate the place she loved while alive, and the other is dealing with the death and trying to more forward but all too aware of her sister and the hole she left in her life.
Review Excerpts: “Ellsworth’s dual narrative explores the large and small ways medical technology forever intertwines the lives of two strangers. Ellsworth’s dramatic story of loss and second chances is deftly tempered by its candid teen narration and light touches of mystery and romance, making it a highly satisfying read, especially for fans of the novels of Lurlene McDaniel and the recent Cold Hands, Warm Heart (2009), by Jill Wolfson.”–Booklist
“In straightforward, stirring prose that alternates between the girls’ perspectives, Ellsworth (In Search of Mockingbird) explores the intimate and mysterious connection between organ donor and recipient…. the emotions of the two protagonists are painstakingly fine-tuned. Readers will likely come away teary eyed and inspired to become organ donors themselves.”–Publisher’s Weekly
“The physical and spiritual connection between the two girls, who narrate in alternating chapters, forms the basis of this sweet but somewhat melodramatic story….It would be touching if it weren’t so absurd.”–School Library Journal
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