• Age: 12 to 18
• Grade: 7 to 12
• Reading age: 11 to 13

In a tragic car accident, 15-year-old Norie loses her deadbeat father while her distant mother is injured. Her prized possession, an antique artist's box that traveled from Ireland with her great-great-grandmother, is destroyed along with her deep connection to her art. As Norie grapples with her self-identity, obscured by grief and anger, she and her physically and emotionally fragile mother are forced to relocate. With no other relatives to rely on, they call on the kindness of her mother's oldest friend Dahlia and her daughter Wil, who run the Jolly Pot Tearoom and Burren Bay Lighthouse Museum on Manitoulin Island. Dahlia introduces Norie to ancient Irish Celtic spiritualism and opens the thin veil between the past and present where Norie encounters the echo of a century's old spirit, Oonagh. Through Oonagh's own story Norie comes to terms with her father's betrayal and death and rediscovers her passion for art. As her mother's emotional wounds reach a crisis, Norie realizes they must face their guilt and grief together in order to heal and become reunited as mother and daughter.

Emily De Angelis comes from a long line of visual artists, musicians, and storytellers. She was born in Sudbury, Ontario where she lived and taught special needs students for 30 years. A graduate of the Humber School of Writing, her western and Japanese-style poems as well as short stories have been published in various anthologies. The Stones of Burren Bay is her first YA novel. Emily now lives in Woodstock, Ontario while spending summers on Manitoulin Island.

Emily De Angelis' profile page

The Stones of Burren Bay harkens back to those golden, endless summers when anything was possible: solving a mystery, seeing a ghost, rediscovering yourself. Norie gets to do it all, and transport the reader in the process. A wonderful, compelling, emotional read. Find a hammock immediately.- Claire Ross Dunn, author At Last CountThis compact, lyrically written novel will appeal to readers who appreciate character-driven stories and rich symbolism. De Angelis roots her story in a well-rendered landscape, creating a strong sense of place in both the historical and contemporary storylines.A gentle story of bittersweet growth and healing that stems from family, art, and place.Kirkus Review