Zebra Forest

In an extraordinary debut novel, an escaped fugitive upends everything two siblings think they know about their family, their past, and themselves.

When eleven-year-old Annie first started lying to her social worker, she had been taught by an expert: Gran. “If you’re going to do something, make sure you do it with excellence,” Gran would say. That was when Gran was feeling talkative, and not brooding for days in her room — like she did after telling Annie and her little brother, Rew, the one thing they know about their father: that he was killed in a fight with an angry man who was sent away. Annie tells stories, too, as she and Rew laze under the birches and oaks of Zebra Forest — stories about their father the pirate, or pilot, or secret agent. But then something shocking happens to unravel all their stories: a rattling at the back door, an escapee from the prison holding them hostage in their own home, four lives that will never be the same. Driven by suspense and psychological intrigue, Zebra Forest deftly portrays an unfolding standoff of truth against family secrets — and offers an affecting look at two resourceful, imaginative kids as they react and adapt to the hand they’ve been dealt.

Commended for Georgia Children's Book Award (Children's Book) 2015
Short-listed for South Carolina Childrens, Junior and Young Adult Book Award (Junior Book) 2015
Short-listed for Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award 2015
Short-listed for Keystone to Reading Book Award (Middle School) 2015
Short-listed for Volunteer State Book Awards (Middle School) 2015
Short-listed for Sequoyah Book Awards (Intermediate) 2016

“Gewirtz veers away from melodrama, deftly capturing nuances of family dynamics in spare prose. ... [A]udiences will appreciate this novel's multilayered characters and touching message of hope and forgiveness. --School Library Journal (starred review) Debut author Gewirtz successfully conveys the terror and tedium of being trapped...An emotionally honest family story with an ending that's hopeful without being implausibly upbeat. --Publishers Weekly (starred review) Gewirtz's emotionally intense debut novel about the complications of families offers a perceptive heroine and poetic, impressive prose. --Kirkus Reviews The tight narrative--laden with symbolism, such as a copy of Treasure Island missing half of its pages, a backdrop of the Iran hostage crisis, and the forest itself--is held together with the strength of the characters. This slight, tense debut novel will interest children looking for suspense or family drama. --Booklist [T]he absorbing voice and short chapters make this a taut, accessible read (and older readaloud), and kids will be engrossed by Annie's dilemma. --Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books With well-crafted characters and an engaging plot that doesn't plod, Zebra Forest nails the basics. It's a family mystery that slowly unwinds, with doses of suspense and intensity. ... A skillfully crafted debut novel from an author to watch. --100 Scope Notes (SLJ Blog) Clever plot twists, lyrical writing and empathetic characters make this book a must-not-miss. --Georgia Times-Union”

Gewirtz veers away from melodrama, deftly capturing nuances of family dynamics in spare prose. ... [A]udiences will appreciate this novel’s multilayered characters and touching message of hope and forgiveness.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

Debut author Gewirtz successfully conveys the terror and tedium of being trapped...An emotionally honest family story with an ending that’s hopeful without being implausibly upbeat.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Gewirtz’s emotionally intense debut novel about the complications of families offers a perceptive heroine and poetic, impressive prose.
—Kirkus Reviews

The tight narrative—laden with symbolism, such as a copy of Treasure Island missing half of its pages, a backdrop of the Iran hostage crisis, and the forest itself—is held together with the strength of the characters. This slight, tense debut novel will interest children looking for suspense or family drama.
—Booklist

[T]he absorbing voice and short chapters make this a taut, accessible read (and older readaloud), and kids will be engrossed by Annie’s dilemma.
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

With well-crafted characters and an engaging plot that doesn’t plod, Zebra Forest nails the basics. It’s a family mystery that slowly unwinds, with doses of suspense and intensity. ... A skillfully crafted debut novel from an author to watch.
—100 Scope Notes (SLJ Blog)

Clever plot twists, lyrical writing and empathetic characters make this book a must-not-miss.
—Georgia Times-Union

Adina Rishe Gewirtz has worked as a freelance journalist, a high-school tutor, and a business-writing consultant. The author of How to Say It: Business Writing That Works, Adina Gewirtz now coaches writers and spends most of her time focused on her first love, fiction writing. Zebra Forest is her first novel. She lives in Washington, D.C.

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