Does anyone know the author of this book?

[alipan]

Hi, I am a 42 year old British mum with twin 15 year old daughters and way back in the 90's i read a book which i would love them to read but unfortunately i gave it away by mistake and cannot remember the author or the title although i'm sure the author was Canadian/American. The book was written from the point of view of a young Canadian/American female adolescent who was going with her father/stepfather/male relative to visit her sister who had left home after falling pregnant and who had moved to a small town in New England/Canada area with the child's father, who ultimately didn't hang around and left her on her own. They were informing her (i think) of bad news or attempting to persuade her to come home with them. The girl's sister had settled in to this small rural town life and made her new daughter's clothes herself and used cucumber soap, (funny what you remember!). The journey to her sister involved going on a ferry or travelling over water I believe. I'm sure the author was a female and it was a coming of age story really. It wasn't a very long book but it was beautiful in its simplicity and wasn't mawkish or overly sentimental. I read it quite a few times and feel ashamed I can't remember the author's name. And I wonder if she wrote more books, if so i'd love to read them. I'd be grateful for any help/pointers? Many thanks

[tickledtrout]

Could the author be Margaret Atwood? She has written a load of novels some in the 90s and she is Canadian. The books I have read of hers are all from a feminine perspective