Keeping the Moon
Sarah Dessen
 Nicole Sparks (Colie) and her mother used to be poor and moved often. They were very overweight and spent most of the time living in their car while her mother switched jobs. That all changed when her mother started taking aerobics classes, which lead to both of them losing weight and her mother becoming a well known aerobics instructor. Eventually her mother had a line of fitness equipment, a television show and TV specials, improving their financial status greatly. Colie remains insecure, however, and bullied by other students at school. Before she lost the weight, they made fun of her for her size, but after she lost the weight, they made up rumors about her being promiscuous, giving her the nickname "Hole In One". When Colie's mother goes over to Europe for a tour of her new fitness line one summer, Colie spends it with her aunt Mira in Colby, North Carolina, a prospect that she isn't too thrilled about. When she meets her Aunt Mira and her hippie tenant Norman, they do not improve her first impressions of Colby. She explores the town and arrives at the Last Chance Bar and Grill where she meets perfectionist Morgan and in-your-face Isabel, who immediately rejects Colie. Colie is convinced that no one in Colby will want her, similar to her life back home. Later, Morgan makes Isabel apologize for her rude commentary, and when she and Norman stop in to help with a particularly rough shift, she lands herself a job at the grill. Morgan and Isabel help Colie build confidence and start loving herself. Colie endures the aftermath of “chick night” and enjoys her new found confidence, finally standing up to her bully back home and giving her number to a cute guy she meets, Josh. He calls her at the restaurant, and Norman gets jealous. Colie realizes that she has to mend their friendship, and asks Norman for a second shot at being in a portrait for his art school, that she forgot about the night before. Meanwhile Morgan decides to go to Durham to surprise her fiance, Mark, which worries Isabel because of past problems with Mark. Morgan gets hit with reality when she finds Mark married to a pregnant stripper, and she takes it out on Isabel by locking her out of the house. Colie and Norman become more interested in each other while they are working on the portrait, and when the art sessions end, Norman invites Colie over for a date for the unveiling of Colie’s finished portrait. The novel comes to an end with all of the characters in balance: Morgan is getting over her loss for Mark, Norman and Colie are in a relationship, and Isabel and Morgan reunite during a disco beat. At 12:15 Colie gets to see her first eclipse and watches in awe as she looks across her row of new friends, and at the sky as the moon disappears.