From Publishers Weekly
In this contemporary story, Rodowsky (Spindrift; The Turnabout Shop) adds an element of suspense without compromising the characteristic intimacy of her previous novels. Eleven-year-old narrator Elsie gradually makes clear that she and her autistic younger brother, Tommy, have been stolen away from their father by their emotionally unstable mother. Since then, their mother has forced the children to move from town to town, as soon as she suspects someone has begun snooping. They change their names with each move, and are not allowed to go to school or make friends. All the while, Elsie has reluctantly cooperated, but with this last move, she begins to question her mother's rules and judgment. When Tommy becomes seriously ill while their mother is at work, Elsie courageously takes risks to save not only her younger brother, but also herself. In previous novels, the author typically focuses on a preteen's adjustment to change; here, however, she portrays a protagonist rightfully refusing to accept her circumstances. Although most readers will not have experienced Elsie's dramatic conflicts, they will likely relate to her feelings of mixed loyalty to each parent and respect her devotion to Tommy. Their eagerness to discover how and when the children will be rescued is sure to keep pages turning. Ages 8-12.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From School Library Journal
Gr 5-8-Elsie McPhee, 11, spends a lonely existence in a string of cheap apartments in three states. Homeschooled and warned by her mother never to leave their apartment, the girl is the main caregiver for her seven-year-old autistic brother. When new neighbors move into a building across the way, she defies her mother's rules and takes Tommy to meet them. The next day, the mother packs the family and moves, spooked by her fear of discovery. The long car journey triggers Elsie to remember events of four years ago. In the sole custody of their father, the children were abducted by their mother. Journeying with her thoughts through the long night, Elsie and her brother are deposited in another nondescript apartment and the dreary cycle of their lives begins again. A trip to the public library and a local sub shop plus her brother's sudden illness compel the girl to act and provide the impetus for change. The children are finally reunited with their father and the long, difficult readjustment begins. Unable to reconcile her new life with her past experience, the girl adopts her middle name. In the spare language of a child, this first-person account captures the confusion and frustration of a kidnapping victim. Clay's devotion to her brother and to her mentally disturbed mother reveal her to be a courageous and compassionate character, and resourcefulness and hope shine through the bleak circumstances. A moving and realistic story for readers who can recognize the power of Clay's narrative and not be frightened by it.-Alice Casey Smith, Sayreville Public Schools, Parlin, NJ
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
