Laura Ruby is the author of Bone Gap, a Michael L. Printz Award winner and National Book Award finalist. Her other novels for children and teens include York: The Shadow Cipher and its sequel, York: The Clockwork Ghost; the mystery Lily’s Ghosts; and her debut young adult novel, Good Girls. Her short fiction for adults has appeared in various literary magazines, including Other Voices and The Florida Review. She is on the faculty of Hamline University’s MFA in writing for children and young adults program. Thirteen Doorways, Wolves Behind Them All (Balzer + Bray) tells the story of two young women—one living, one dead—dealing with loss, desire, and the fragility of the American dream during WWII. When Frankie’s mother died and her father left her and her siblings at an orphanage in Chicago, it was supposed to be only temporary—just long enough for him to get back on his feet and be able to provide for them once again. That’s why Frankie’s not prepared for the day that he arrives for his weekend visit with a new woman on his arm and out-of-state train tickets in his pocket. ow Frankie and her sister, Toni, are abandoned alongside so many other orphans—two young, unwanted women doing everything they can to survive. As the Great Depression fuels the fires of World War II, it will be up to Frankie to find something worth holding on to in the ruins of this shattered America. School Library Journal praised the book’s “Powerful plotting, masterful character development, and a unique narrative device set this work apart. Make room on the shelf next to Code Name Verity and The Book Thief.”
