In Close to the Edge, Miklowitz confronts a problem many teens struggle with: depression. Depression takes many forms, but most teens, even if they are not clinically depressed, share many of the feelings Jenny expresses. She feels cut off, that no one loves or understands her, that she does not care about anything, and that life is not worth living. This is, in many ways, compounded by the fact that she "has it all" and should be happy. Her perspective is further contrasted with the seniors she meets who have lived through so much, suffered such a great deal, and perhaps should have given up, but instead refused to do so.

Miklowitz uses Close to the Edge to write about issues she cares deeply about, and she believes that her teen readers need to know about, In many ways, Close to the Edge is an open...