The novel "The Age of Miracles," by Karen Thompson Walker tells the story of an adolescent girl struggling with coming of age at the same time that the world around her seems to be coming apart. Julia's world changes dramatically when scientists announce that the rotation of the Earth has begun slowing. This slowing results in solar storms, power outages, and daylight days that stretch beyond the normal period of 24 hours. Themes in the story include the effect uncertainty has on those around Julia and they way they cope with their personal fears as well as the special challenges these changes have on those who are still trying to determine what life is all about.

Ten-year-old Julia's world is rocked when scientists announce that the rotation of the Earth is slowing. Days have already grown by nearly one hour and are getting longer each day. Julia believes that this change in the Earth's rotation leads her family down a troubled and rocky path. The trouble for Julia begins when her best friend, Hanna, moves to Salt Lake City for religious reasons. This leaves Julia feeling alone. She is unprotected at the school bus stop and becomes a target for bullies.

At the same time, Julia's mother becomes affected by gravity sickness. This sickness causes her to pass out one day while driving and kill a pedestrian. Julia is horrified when she hears her father lie to her mother and tell her that the pedestrian lived. When Julia realizes how relieved that her mother is after she hears this lie, Julia decides not to tell her mother the truth. Julia is again horrified by her father when she catches him in what she believes is a relationship with another woman. Julia's father begs her not to tell her mother.

Julia's only friend during this period of time is a boy named Seth Moreno who she has a crush on. The two develop a deep friendship in which Julia tells Seth the secret of her father's affair. Seth encourages Julia to confront her father about what is happening. After the confrontation, Julia is afraid that her father will not return home to them but is surprised when he does come home. Julia is crushed again when Seth is diagnosed with gravity sickness and he and his father move to Mexico. After one short e-mail message from Seth, she never hears from him again. Thirteen years later, even though she is now aware that the Earth is dying, Julia still holds onto the faint hope that Seth will come back to her.