Stolen Children [Hardcover]

Peg Kehret (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 16, 2008 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Amy learned a lot in her babysitting course, but not what to do if two thugs show up, intent on kidnapping. Armed with misinformation and a weapon, the men take Amy and little Kendra to a remote cabin in the woods. There they make videos of the girls and mail them to Kendra?s wealthy parents in an effort to get ransom money. After several of her escape attempts fail, Amy is forced to make one last, desperate move. Award winner Peg Kehret crafts a suspenseful thriller with a spunky heroine who uses her wits to save herself and the toddler.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5–8—Amy, 14, is hired by rich Mrs. Edgerton to fill in for her regular nanny. What should have been an easy job, three-year-old Kendra being a peach to watch, turns into a terrifying experience when the two girls are kidnapped and taken to a remote cabin in the woods. The two kidnappers videotape them and send DVDs to the Edgertons to convince them to pay a ransom for Kendra. Amy realizes that the men have no intention of allowing her to leave. She begins to work subtle clues into each video, hoping her best friend will be able to decipher their meaning. Finally, one of her clues pays off and a break is made in the case. Stolen Children features an interesting story and a strong female character, but the language is sometimes stilted and Amy occasionally seems more mature than her years. This book would be a good addition to large collections, or libraries with patrons clamoring for realistic thrillers.—Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT
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From Booklist

After graduating from a babysitting course, 14-year-old Amy is filling in for a wealthy family’s nanny one afternoon when she and her three-year-old charge, Kendra, are kidnapped. Their two abductors have hatched a plan to take the little girl, send daily DVD messages to her parents, collect the ransom, and return her unharmed. They hit a snag, however, when their accomplice, Kendra’s nanny, takes off before the scheduled heist. Forced to take the unexpected Amy along, they head to a derelict secluded cabin, where they bide their time for several days. Amy’s ingenuity and child-development savvy save the day, but only after a few daring escape attempts. Plot-driven and consistently paced, this quick read has ample suspense and drama. While the bad guys have a gun, it is unused and no actual physical violence occurs, making this a worry-free recommendation for those requesting a just-thrilling-enough story. Grades 4-7. --Andrew Medlar

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile (October 16, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525478353
• ISBN-13: 978-0525478355
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #230,595 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #52 in Books > Children's Books > Social Situations > Babysitting

More About the Author

I've published 45 books; all but two are for children. I wrote magazine articles, short stories, and plays for many years before I discovered that what I like best is to write books for kids.
When I was twelve, I was paralyzed with polio. I made almost a full recovery but I remember that time of my life so clearly that it's easy for me to write from the viewpoint of a twelve or thirteen-year-old.
I'm always thrilled when one of my books wins a state young reader award, because I know those awards are voted on by children.
I am a widow who was married for 48 years. I have two grown children and four grandchildren. I live on a small wildlife sanctuary near Mt. Rainier National Park and I often have deer and elk in my yard.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 4 stars!, November 3, 2008

By 

Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stolen Children (Hardcover)

Amy's life has been on a downward swing. Not only is she being inept, but her dad is killed shortly after she utters hateful words to him. Then, both she and the small girl she is sitting for are kidnapped by two armed men. For nearly the next week, Amy finds herself struggling desperately to keep the toddler calm and keep them both from being harmed, or even killed as two desperate, greedy men try to get money in exchange for their safe return. Since Amy has seen enough to identify them and she is not especially valuable, whether or not she'll see home again is iffy at best.

**** Even though this is a young adult novel, it's an edge of the seat thriller. Amy is a highly empathetic character with whom anyone who has had a horrible time of it can identify with immediately, You are drawn into the story from the start and no matter what your age, you will be rapidly turning pages to get to the end. ****

Reviewed by Amanda Killgore for Huntress Reviews.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Book I've Read In A Long Time, November 3, 2009

By 

Lilly Carson-Bailey (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stolen Children (Hardcover)

I am only twelve years old, so what I got out of this book may be different then others. This book was amazing, and had a great ending. (I hate stories that don't have happy endings!)The author, Peg Kehret, is an amazing writer with the ability to create a terrific book by mixing together crime solving, babysitting, and mystery. I started this 164 page book two days before I finished it, because I could hardly put it down. Her characters are truly dynamic and mind-boggling. I would most definetly recommend this book to any girl, and maybe even some boys, between the ages of eleven and thirteen. You are honestly missing out on a lot if you choose not to read it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stolen Children, February 3, 2012

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Stolen Children (Paperback)

Do you like books with a lot of action? If you do then Stolen Children is the book for you. When 14-year-old Amy takes a baby-sitting job to take care of little Kendra she falls to sleep and when she wakes up she can't find Kendra. Then, she hears a car in the front of the house. She sprints to the front and sees Kendra in the back of a car she tries to go back to the house, but a man holds up a gun and said freeze. Then, the men take Amy and Kendra to a cabin. Then, the men take videos of the girls. They then mail the videos to their moms as a way to ask for a ransom, but Amy hides clues in them. Will the police find the girls or will they be stuck forever?

I think Stolen Children is a very good book; I like the author's style and how she makes you feel like you are there. I also like how Amy sends clues to help the police find her. So if you read this book you will not regret it.