Annie on my Mind

  Annie on My Mind written by Nancy Garden is a novel about two seventeen year old girls living in New York City who develop a relationship.  Liza is the main character, and the narrator.  Her family is wealthy and Liza attends a prestigious private school.  Annie, on the other hand, lives uptown with her parents and grandmother.  Her family are immigrants from Italy and work hard to make ends meet.  Liza and Annie meet while at the MET in Manhattan.  They both have different goals in life as well.  Liza is a top student at her school and dreams of studying architecture at MIT.  Annie wishes to be  accepted to Berkley and become a professional singer.  Despite their differences, they develop a strong bond instantly.  Their friendship soon becomes a romantic relationship and they fall in love.  Over Thanksgiving break is the fist time Liza and Annie kiss and Annie admits she may be gay.  When Liza begins to fall for Annie, she realizes she too is a lesbian.  Over Spring Break, a teacher, who lives with another female, asks Liza to house-sit and Liza and Annie end up staying together.  This is discovered by an administrator at Lizaś school and it is brought to the attention of Liza´s family.  She confesses to her family that her and Annie are in love.  After graduating from high school both are separated by thousands of miles when Liza attends MIT and Annie goes to Berkeley.  After time apart, the girls look back on their relationship and they end up getting back together.  

Annie on My Mind has received both praise and criticism.  It has actually been challenged many times due to its controversial content.  This novel is directed toward young adults and allows for readers to have courage and be true to themselves.  

Garden, N. (1982).  Annie on my mind.  NY:  FSG





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