American slang, school and Aunt Debra were just a few of the things seventeen-year-old Katherine Norman had to get used to in San Francisco. In Europe, school had always meant hard work and home had always meant love. But home life in American with Aunt Debra was certainly different from the carefree adventurous life Katherine had shared with her father in Europe. How could she live side by side with a woman as alien to her as Aunt Debra? Katherine felt she was living in a prison and that her aunt was her keeper.

At first school was no better. Much more than kindness, Katherine craved to be wanted, to be accepted as part of a group. The first person she met was friendly Bob Macdonald who was so involved with his newspaper he seemed to have no time for her. But a rebellious gang called The Crowd had time; they never worried about the next day or the future and, flirting with danger, they made up their own rules. To be with them was exciting, and KAtherine was flattered that Jet Smith, their handsome leader, liked her so much. Belonging to The Crowd soon became so important that she even lied to b e part of their life.

A disturbing cloud hung over her happiness in the Shape of Bob Macdonald. She was torn between wanting to be alone with him and wanting not to be alone with The Crowd. Suddenly the aimless, drifting current she had been floating on turned into shoals and rapids. She discovered she could indeed be a stranger in the middle of a crowd. And she discovered a strangely disturbing feeling whenever Bob was around. With these awarenesses came the realization of the richly warm human being in Aunt Debra. Now she was truly a stranger no more -0 not to her aunt, not to Bob, and, most important, not to herself.

This novel of a girl hovering on the edge of maturity and love, who learns to look within herself to find herself, is written with wisdom and tenderness by an author who knows and understands young people.