Standing on Neptune — Valerie Sherrard

Am I pregnant? This question shatters the peace of seventeen-year-old Brooke Palinder’s life one Monday morning when she realizes her period is late. Although shaken, she is determined to hide her feelings and go about her daily routine as though nothing is wrong. Brooke’s boyfriend Ryan handles the news poorly and is unable to offer Brooke much in the way of support. Yet, in spite of a growing sense of isolation, she cannot bring herself to confide in anyone else, not even her best friend. In an effort to distract herself, Brooke throws herself into a school project about Neptune, which leads her to some startling discoveries and a surprising sense of connection to the distant planet. In fractured vignettes, Brooke begins to examine her life from a new perspective, but by Saturday, she knows she must face the answer to the question that began her week. Am I pregnant?