In Walker’s beautifully-written debut novel, it’s the end of the world as we know it, but instead of a sudden vampire plague or apocalyptic alien invasion, scientists discover that the Earth’s rotation is slowing. Days and nights are getting longer, birds are dying, and whales are beaching themselves by the thousands. Julia, the thoughtful and withdrawn narrator right on the cusp of adolescence, watches as the Earth’s slowing rotation is the catalyst for all the changes around her – classmates move away, her parents’ marriage starts to splinter, neighbors who decide to ignore the 24-hour clock and try to adjust to the lengthening days are ostracized, and the brooding boy with the skateboard at the bus stop suddenly starts talking to her. Julia and the rest of the people in her Southern California suburb wonder about the hows and whys of the event, but Walker wisely never answers those questions, keeping the book firmly rooted in the personal. Age of Miracles is narrated by an older Julia, reflecting on that uncertain time of life between childhood and adolescence, where the world you thought you knew becomes unpredictable and unknowable. Dreamlike and cutting, this novel is a glorious coming-of-age story for adults and YAs alike. You’ll find this on many best-of lists. (Including mine!) Highly recommended. If you like other thoughtful end-of-the-world stories, check out The Leftovers by Tom Perrotta or The Dog Stars by Peter Heller.