What's a girl to do when caught between a rock and a hard place? The "hard place" — losing her car; the "rock" — her immovable dad. In order to regain driving privileges, Kim Peterson's dad talks her into writing an advice column for teens in his newspaper. Kim reluctantly agrees. She answers letters about stuff that's everyday and stuff that's not: parents, piercings, dating, drugs, depression, and people who are just users. Nothing Kim can't handle. But when a classmate is killed, the letters turn to questions about life, death, and what it all means. And Kim starts to wonder if she really does have all the answers—and if not, where to find them. The Christian faith of her adoptive family? The Buddhism of her Korean heritage? Who can she turn to—to just ask?

Kim’s World Turns Upside Down When Kim’s mom is diagnosed with cancer, Natalie steps in, as true friends will do, to round up hundreds of people to pray for Mrs. Peterson’s healing. Her health begins to improve, and Kim’s love life begins to flourish…but with a non-Christian. Natalie warns Kim to break off the relationship, but is that just because she’s jealous? Or is God trying to speak to Kim through Natalie’s counsel? When her mom’s health suddenly declines again, Kim blames herself. Maybe she never should have become involved with Matthew, especially as she’s tempted to give in to his pressure to have sex. Kim’s faith is hanging in the balance. She wants to believe that prayer will prevail, but the obstacles seem so big… Thursday, December 29 My dad and I are both feeling a little torn about Mom right now. On one hand, we all act like everything is just peachy, perfectly normal. But at the same time, it’s like we’re walking on eggshells too. Like we’re all thinking the same thing–is this our last Christmas all together? Kim Peterson’s mom has stage four ovarian cancer, and Kim’s done enough research online to know the odds are dismal. But Kim and her best friend, Natalie McCabe, and a lot of other people are praying that God will heal her mom. Kim’s mom makes her promise that she’ll continue with life as normal: Nat, youth group, violin, her Just Ask Jamie newspaper column, even hanging out with Matthew. But how can life be normal with cancer hanging over your head like a dark cloud? And then she’s getting flak from Natalie because Matthew’s not a Christian, and Nat’s afraid he’ll drag Kim down. But Nat’s dating life isn’t exactly smooth sailing, either. Both girls are praying a lot–and waiting to find out what’s meant to be. Reader’s guide included Story Behind the Book “My teenage years remain vivid in my mind. It was a turbulent time, full of sharp contrasts–love and hate, pain and pleasure, trust and doubt. Then, just as I reached my peak of questioning, rebelling, and seeking, I found God. And I found Him in a really big way! My life turned completely around and has, thankfully, never turned back. Hopefully this story will touch and change hearts–speaking to teen girls right where they live, reminding readers that God is alive and well and ready to be intimately involved in their lives right now!” –Melody Carlson From the Trade Paperback edition.

Answer Girl Has a Zillion Questions. And Zero Answers Kim Peterson, the Just Ask Jamie â??answer girlâ? is about plum out of them. As if losing her mother to cancer wasnâ?t enough, the hits jus

This Is Now It's Kim's senior year and, while everyone's looking forward to graduation, she's got so much going on she can barely make it through the day. Natalie, pregnant with Benjamin O'Conner's baby, believes it's God's will for them to marry, and Ben sees it as his Christian responsibility to do so. Major red flag? He doesn't love her. Then-surprise! Kim's birth mother in Korea sends her an intriguing letter, making Kim question her reluctance to get to know another "mom." And what about Maya? Is God calling Kim and her father to open their hearts and home to Kim's biracial cousin whose mother was just sentenced to five years in state prison? Kim has been through so much already, but that was then ... Does she have enough faith for now? Saturday, November 11 I've talked to Nat twice this week. But only on the phone. Both times she just glossed over what happened last weekend. She told me everything was "fine." But without any details. It was the kind of reassurance that isn't reassuring at all. I know she's covering something up. That was then...Kim Peterson has had a lot going on the past few years: writing a teen advice column, finding a new faith, dating and breaking up for the first time, losing her mom to cancer...Kim has learned to turn it all over to God day by day, relying on Him like she never has before. Now Kim's best friend, Nat, is pregnant and soon to be married to Ben O'Conner, Caitlin's younger brother. Nat is starry-eyed, believing that once she and Ben are married, God will bless them and everything will work out because they're doing the right thing. Kim's not so sure. Is marriage the only solution for two seventeen-year-olds with a baby on the way? Why won't they consider adoption? Kim knows about that firsthand-and is about to find out even more... Reader's guide included Story Behind the Book "In book four, Kim's life is still shadowed by the loss of her mother, but her faith is deepening. My best friend lost her mother to cancer in high school, and I was very involved in counseling, encouraging, and praying with my friend as she worked through her grief. That experience helped me write Kim's story from an insider's perspective." - Melody Carlson