Emily France
Fiction
ZEN AND GONE (a Washington Post Best Book for Young Readers) (Young Adult)
KRIT DREAMS OF DRAGON FRUIT (Zen-inspired picture book)
SIGNS OF YOU (an Apple iBooks Best of the Month) (Young Adult)
Praise for
ZEN AND GONE
2018 Reading the West Book Award Winner for Young Adult
A July 2018 Washington Post Best Book for Young Readers
"The romance, family dramas and physical danger keep us turning the pages, but the generous embrace of the spiritual truly enriches this reading experience."
—The Washington Post
"As wild as it is heartwarming."
—Paste Magazine
"Zen and Gone reminds us that we are all connected, we all matter, and we are all loved. By lifting up others, we lift up ourselves."
—New York Times bestselling author Lauren Myracle
"Memorable. This is a beautiful, gentle, contemplative story certain to both fascinate and educate readers about a new way of encountering the world and all the challenges within it."
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Imbued with an exceptionally strong sense of a fascinating place and organized around the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, the novel offers a beginner’s lesson in Buddhist principles as they might actually be lived in a contemporary American setting."
—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"With a host of deftly drawn characters, Emily France’s Zen and Gone is a paean to the multicultural mountain mecca of Boulder."
—BookPage
"A fast-paced read. Blending romance, thrills, drama, and philosophy, this novel delivers a strong message about being present with life even when it hurts."
—Kirkus Reviews
"Two teens face outsize family responsibility in this thoughtful novel about mindfulness and survival."
—Booklist
"I absolutely adored this book."
—YA Cafe Podcast
"France’s actors are authentic and easy to relate to. The novel’s Boulder setting is equally well-drawn. Amidst crisis, there is humor, teen angst and—you guessed it, readers—even a little romance."
—Run Spot Run
Praise for
SIGNS OF YOU
an Apple iBooks Best Book of the Month
"Kudos to France for creating distinct and compelling characters that will keep readers invested in her debut . . . An entertaining mystery cleverly rooted in religious lore. The Sixth Sense meets The Da Vinci Code for teen readers."
—Kirkus Reviews
"This genre-straddling debut novel is a palatable blend of the supernatural, the spiritual, Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, and YA romance ingredients . . . The spiritual and historical elements are well balanced—not an afterthought and not overpowering this very human story of letting go and moving on."
—School Library Journal
"Compelling . . . [France's] characters are sympathetic and believable, and her message about what keeps people moving forward after tragedy resonates deeply."
—Publishers Weekly
"An inventive concept—part mystery, part supernatural, part spiritual meditation—and the four friends are compassionately drawn, even in their flaws."
—Booklist
"The bond between the four teens will resonate with readers, as having a loving, dependable support group is a universal desire . . . The author notes at the end help to separate fact from fiction as well as offer options for further reading on the topic of St. Ignatius. Devastating loss, ghostly apparitions, devoted friendships, and a hint of romance combine to make this debut novel a compelling read. Readers can look forward to whatever else this author has in store."
—VOYA
"Emily France’s Signs of You defies stereotypes as it takes on the story of a loss, friendship, and healing."
—Cleaver Magazine
"There's a terrific mystical-ghost-mystery here, but we really loved the characters in Signs of You. They're conflicted and wounded, but still passionate about their friendship, uncovering the truth and finding closure. (And there's a sweet, slow-burn romance that'll restart your heart in the best way.)"
—Justine
"A blend of mystery and mysticism . . . Fair warning: your final pages will be tear-stained."
—5280 Magazine
"Alternatingly laugh-out-loud funny, tear-inducing sad, and goose-bump spooky. This is a mystery with a heart, and one that is very hard to put down."
—Jodi Lynn Anderson, New York Times bestselling author of Peaches and Tiger Lily
"Emily France's debut is an irresistible force of nature. Signs of You felt like it was written just for me, and made me want everyone else to read it immediately. Read this book."
—Gwenda Bond, author of Girl on a Wire and Lois Lane: Fallout
"Eerie and intense, Signs of You explores the mysteries of life and what comes after. A vibrant debut from a compelling new voice in young adult literature. This is a book that stays with you long after you’ve savored the last page."
—Melanie Crowder, author of Audacity, a National Jewish Book Awards Finalist
"Signs of You has an engaging mystery at its center, one that will keep readers turning the pages as Riley and her friends try to understand the supernatural world that surrounds them. But it is the heart-wrenchingly profound questions that will stick with you long after you've finished. In her funny, suspenseful and romantic debut novel, Emily France beautifully shows us how a person can live fully in the face of unfathomable loss."
—Deborah Heiligman, National Book Award Finalist and Printz Honoree author
"Gripping, enigmatic, and moving, Signs of You will stay with readers long after they’ve turned the last page. France masterfully plumbs the depths of the human heart as she layers mysticism, friendship, wit, and grief in this story about four teens looking for meaning and love after the deaths of people close to them."
—Ingrid Law, Newbery Honor winner and New York Times Bestselling author of Savvy, Scumble, and Switch
"In Emily France's poignant and powerful first novel, her vividly depicted high school heroine tackles life's highest questions. The novel opens a door to a true spiritual quest. France's achingly relatable teen characters come together in shared grief and help each other make both historic and personal discoveries. France tells this sweeping yet intimate tale with wisdom, humor, and heart."
—Elizabeth Searle, author of five books including Girl Held in Home and playwright of Tonya & Nancy: the Rock Opera
Praise for
KRIT DREAMS OF DRAGRON FRUIT
written with Natalie Becher
A beautifully illustrated, Zen-inspired picture book for children ages 4-8 about moving to a new home, making friends, and finding beauty wherever you are.
"A helpful new slant on an old theme."
- Booklist
Emily France
books for young adults and Children
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emily France is a graduate of Brown University and is the critically acclaimed author of several books. Her young adult titles, Zen and Gone and Signs of You, were selected as a Washington Post Best Book of the Month and an Apple Books Best of the Month. Krit Dreams of Dragon Fruit is her first picture book and Daughter Dalloway is her adult debut.