Family of Strangers

Family of Strangers by Susan Beth Pfeffer (1992) is a young adult novel that covers some advanced issues that deal with parent abandonment, alcohol addictions, suicide, and dysfunctional family settings. Pfeffer is able to demonstrate the novel in two parts by using dialogue and diary format throughout the whole novel. Pfeffer parses the novel in two parts showing Abby’s lonely and confusing life in the first. And the second part consists of Abby’s feelings, her writings, and her seeking for help. Through this dialogue, combination of letters, and essays, Pfeffer is able to address each issue well.