Saving Grace (Orca Soundings) [Hardcover]

Darlene Ryan (Author)

Book Description

Series: Orca Soundings | Publication Date: September 1, 2006

Evie is determined to care for her baby - even if it means kidnapping her. (RL2.4)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up—Evie's first mistake was getting pregnant. She admits that. The second mistake, giving her baby up for adoption, wasn't her idea but her father's. So to fix it, the 15-year-old takes drastic action by kidnapping Brianna, now named Grace, from her adoptive parents and running away with her. She convinces Justin, the child's father, to drive them to Montreal so they can start over as a family. His change of heart puts Evie's plans for a new life in jeopardy, and Brianna's rising temperature turns up the heat on the decision that Evie knows in her heart she must make. The novel's fast pace will keep reluctant readers turning the pages to the end. Ryan has created a wholly believable protagonist in a novel that has a 2.4 reading level. Readers will sympathize with her plight even as they cringe at her series of bad choices. While the book is written with struggling teen readers in mind, more sophisticated readers will find themselves drawn to both the content and character.—H. H. Henderson, Heritage Middle School, Deltona, FL
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Review

"This high-interest Orca Soundings book will be sure to stimulate good discussions about responsibility, good and harmful decisions and hard consequences." (Puget Sound Council for the Review of Children's Books 20071118)

"The novel's fast pace will keep reluctant readers turning the pages to the end." (School Library Journal )

"Lots of authentic dialogue and engrossing subject matter." (VOYA )

"This is a compelling, insightful addition to the Orca Soundings series. Recommended." (Canadian Book Review Annual )

"This Orca Soundings title with its fast-pace, high interest content, and low reading level is a perfect choice for a struggling female reader." (NMRLS Youth Services Book Review ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 97 pages
• Publisher: Orca Book Publishers (September 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 155143668X
• ISBN-13: 978-1551436685
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 4.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,623,147 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars The desire to belong, May 12, 2011

By 

Heidi G - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saving Grace (Orca Soundings) (Paperback)

Part of Orca Publishers' popular Orca Soundings series, De nadie mas is the Spanish translation of Saving Grace. As is typical of the Orca Soundings series, the book is written at a level accessible to most middle school students and is an excellent resource for ELL and struggling readers. Evie is a teen mom who was forced to give up her child for adoption. She kidnaps five-month-old Grace, who she calls Brianna, from her adoptive family and convinces the baby's father to drive them to Montreal. The story is full of poor choices, but they are realistic choices when viewed through a teenager's lens: the action of taking what Evie believes is hers, the thought that reading a parenting book and getting an infant car seat and baby formula means she is prepared to take care of the child, the belief that two teen parents could raise a child on their own in a big city with little skills and little resources. There are a couple words which might cause problems in some schools or communities but in my mind, they are words which most teens probably hear most every day of their lives.