• Age: 14 to 18
• Grade: 9 to 12

Deep Girls tells stories that defy the conventions of young adult literature. The clichés of fictional relationships are tossed aside, and instead we read about girls whose relationships with their families are like the real relationships readers see in the world around them.

There are stories showing family members at their worst: a girl must stand up against expectations put on her by her parents and boyfriend; a sibling’s assault on a parent drives a young woman to dark thoughts, and admiration for a rule-bending classmate; an ill grandmother is cruel to her daughter.

There are stories about the search for strength: a father and daughter try to survive as a family after a tragedy; a family friend who was victimized by violence returns from a mental hospital; a mother shows her daughter the heart that lies beneath a passive exterior.

And there are stories about young women adjusting to their emerging sexuality (while reluctantly caring for a neighbour’s children, a teen turns her eyes to the kids’ father), and that of their parents (a father and daughter take a trip to a bar, and each turns their attention elsewhere).

Deep Girls is an astonishing collection of stories that are rich in tone and emotional complexity.

Lori Weber is the author of eight young adult novels, including Yellow Mini, a novel in verse, and Deep Girls, a short—story collection; one historical middle grade novel, Lightning Lou; and one picture book, My Granny Loves Hockey. A native Montrealer, she lived for several years in Atlantic Canada; upon returning to Montreal, she began teaching English at Vanier College in 1994 before moving to John Abbott College in 1996, a position she recently retired from. She has delivered workshops in writing for teens through the Quebec Writers' Federation. Lori currently lives in Dorval, Quebec, where she hopes to do more writing, taking inspiration from the beautiful Lac Saint Louis at her doorstep.

Lori Weber's profile page

"Weber accurately and honestly captures snapshots of moments in teen girls’ lives, delving into their complex mental health and familial issues, their thoughts and decisions, but most importantly her lens is a sensitive one. Readers and educators looking for poignant and topical stories featuring strong female characters will not be disappointed." Highly Recommended

CM Magazine

"A collection of short stories is not a format one often encounters in young adult literature, a genre dominated by hefty full-length novels. Perhaps this is because it can take a long time to create characters teenagers will become attached to. Weber, however, displays a high degree of creativity in crafting nine different heroines and anti-heroines, all intensely real protagonists, in under thirty pages each ... It’s unlikely that any one reader will relate to the struggles of all of these protagonists, but everyone will be pulled in by Weber’s flawless plotting and simple yet perfectly descriptive prose ."

Montreal Review of Books

"Written with depth but in common language as to make it accessible for lower level readers. Recommended for purchase for libraries serving high school patrons."

School Library Journal