Between the Pages

Winterhouse Winterhouse by Ben Guterson is a novel about a girl named Elizabeth Somers who learns that faith, friends, and family are all one needs to succeed. (And books of course…) Plot Summary: Orphaned as an infant, Elizabeth Somers lives with her aunt and uncle in a minimalistic house. In a small town like Drere, where her aunt and uncle’s home is located, she cannot fully unlock her academic potential. She has already read and re-read every single book in her school library and researched about every topic the outdated computers will search. Her school has just let out for Christmas Break. She heads back home to find her aunt and uncle who will probably say they cannot afford any gifts like last year and the year before. Instead, she reaches the porch and on the old, creaky door, there is a note. The note is from her aunt and uncle. It says she will be staying at the Winterhouse over Christmas Break. The note specifies which bus for her to take and when. (Her Christmas...

Instagram 1. Where did you get your inspiration for the book? This book was inspired by several things. First, I was living in Maine at the time where the book begins, so many of the details are from my life there. Then some came from a road trip that I made across Texas to visit my sister. There’s not a lot to do when you are driving alone on a long highway, so I used the time to think about writing. The deeper issues probably came out of my own teen years. It was hard growing up with divorced parents – always being shuttled from one home to the other. Cal feels many of the things I did at that time. She wants to belong and feel like she has a home. 2. Inspiration for characters? Cal was based on many of my own experiences. Eliot was based on Brad’s experiences growing up in North Carolina. I think the disconnect with parents is something that a lot of teens feel. But somehow, it’s worse when your parents are the ones to turn away. But I think having other adults step i...