Bibliographical information:

Leavitt, Martine. Keturah and Lord Death. Asheville, North Carolina: Front Street, 2006.

2006 National Book Award finalist for young people's literature

New York Times review

Brief summary:

Following a great hart into the forest, Keturah becomes lost and encounters Lord Death. By telling a story, she bargains for another day in which to find her one true love and to save her town from the plague which Death warns is coming to the village. Her search for her true love is intertwined with efforts to clean up the town, saving it from the plague and saving its lord from humiliation before the king. Along the way, she also tries to engineer the safety and happiness of her friends.

Comments:

This is a beautifully written and surprising story. While the prose suggests fairy tales, the relationships and emotions are compelling. 

Grade/Age level:

 The School Library Journal suggests ages 12 and up. Probably that's about right.

Cautions:

Keturah's musings on death and its relationship to life are thought-provoking, but might not be ideal for a melancholy adolescent. 

--Lisa Gordis

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