Pawns (Paperback)

by Willo Davis Roberts (Author), David Pohl (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Left all alone after her mother's death from cancer and her father's subsequent suicide, 14-year-old Teddi is happy to have found a home with her grandmotherly next-door neighbor, Mamie, who is herself recovering from her son Ricky's recent death in a plane crash. So Teddi is understandably shaken when young and very pregnant Dora shows up on Mamie's doorstep, claiming to be Ricky's wife, and proceeds to move in. Teddi is immediately wary-and then feels guilty for it. But with the help of her new friend Jason, 16, who has moved into Teddi's old house, she sees that her suspicions of Dora are well-founded. How can she expose Dora as an impostor without making herself look bad or, worse yet, crushing Mamie? With a neat fillip, Roberts (Twisted Summer) shakes the dust off a well-worn formula and turns the reader's assumptions inside out. The sensitive exploration of Teddi's feelings of grief and abandonment, moreover, considerably deepens the story's impact. Ages 10-14.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From School Library Journal
Grade 6-8-Roberts once again proves her craftsmanship in this tale of mystery and intrigue. Teddi, 14, has lived with her neighbor Mamie for several months since her mother's death and her father's suicide. The two have developed a close relationship, especially since the recent death of Mamie's son Ricky in a plane crash. Then a very pregnant Dora arrives, purporting to be Ricky's wife. This news shocks Mamie as she didn't know her son had married. Still, she welcomes Dora and the baby with hope and open arms. Teddi, though, finds herself doubting the young woman's story and decides she must try to find out what's going on, knowing that what she uncovers may hurt Mamie. With the help of Jason, a new friend and neighbor, she investigates. Roberts blends the elements of mystery and suspense, a budding romance, and coming to terms with traumatic events of the past into a taut, well-constructed plot. Teddi's desire to protect her caregiver makes her a worthy heroine. Mamie's strength and humaneness as she faces Dora's arrival, the birth of her "grandson," and the discovery and aftermath of the betrayal provide a fully realized adult character often missing in young adult fiction. With its strong story line and well-defined characters, this novel is sure to be popular.
Janet Hilbun, Sam Houston Middle School, Garland, TX
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Aladdin (April 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689833202
• ISBN-13: 978-0689833205
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,813,909 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Satisfying read, August 4, 2003

By	Elizabeth S. Gallaway "Information Goddess" (New England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Pawns (School & Library Binding)

Orphan Teddi, recovering from many losses, has finally begun to adjust to life with her next-door-neighbor turned foster mother Marnie when Dora shows up on their doorstep, pregnant and claiming to be the wife of Marnie's estranged and recently deceased son Ricky. Kindly Marnie takes her in and Dora casually usurps Teddi's place in the house. Teddi, feeling displaced, thinks there may be something about Dora's story that doesn't quite ring true. Her conscience questions her gut instincts, and she wonders if she is hunting for clues that aren't really there because she is jealous. An attractive boy who moves into Teddi's old house becomes an accomplice in the investigation to discover who Dora really is. Will Teddi and Marnie become pawns to Dora's plot to get Ricky's insurance money?
Roberts, three-time winner of the prestigious Edgar Allen Poe award for mystery for teens, creates a well-crafted dramatic story. Teddi's process of deduction is very clear and easy to follow, and the reader feels smart watching Dora trip up again and again, waiting for Teddi to catch her in a lie. The relationship between Teddi and Jason is charming, although the characters seem either younger than their ages (14 and 16) or very naive.
The amount of tragedy in the book is a bit unbelievable. Within 154 pages, there is a plane crash, a suicide, a terminal illness, an automobile accident, a child who assists an adult in a home delivery, a domineering and possibly abusive husband, a cut forehead, and a burned finger. The ending is unpredictable (we know Dora is a fraud, but we aren't sure how Teddi will expose her) and very satisfying.
Roberts presents a resilient and bright female protagonist who confronts an obstacle and is able to begin to face her fears and address her concerns with her guardian. I had only read one of her books previously, and loved it, and it was a delight to rediscover the author. Purchase where mysteries are popular; fans of Betty Ren Wright may enjoy this title.

4.0 out of 5 stars CMJ REVIEWS PAWNS, October 30, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Pawns (School & Library Binding)

Pawns by Willo Davis Roberts was an excellant book. It was very suspenseful. From the beginning to the end you could not really predict the next move of any character.
The main charcter was a teenage girl around fourteen years old, her name is Teddi. Teddi at first looses her mother to cancer, then since her father can't handle it he commits suicide right in their garage where Teddi would easily find him. While her mom was dying, her next door neighbor Mamie would help take care of her. So when both of Teddi's parents died Mamie didn't want to let Teddi go into foster care she made a deal with social services so Teddi could stay with Mamie. While Teddi lived with Mamie, Mamie's son Daniel died in a horried plane crash. Not even living with Mamie for a total of six months Teddi's life changed dramaticaly. When one day the door bell and Mamie's daughter-in-law shows up pregnant. Teddi is very suspicous on why Mamie was never told that her son was married or about to be a father. Mamie was thrilled because she thought she would never see her son again but with a granson coming there would be a part of her son in him. The women's name is Dora. Even though Dora is pregnant she is very lazy and thoughtless. Once the baby comes it's a boy named Danny after the father. Dora starts to do more when the baby comes not that's it's good. She steals money from Mamie and sneaks away from home at night to who knows where. Meanwhile in Teddi's old home a new family moves in. There are three kids none her age but a boy about 3 or 4 years older. They become friends and start hanging out together playing tennis. His name is Jason. He even begins to be suspicous of Dora.
The ending has a twist to it and the truth comes out. In certain parts of the book you can see what the author is saying because the author is using excellant imagry. A lot of irony was used.
I would recommend this book to anybody not only because it's an excellant book but because escepically teenagers can relate to this book. Most teens don't like to read but this would just take them away from the world and into the book.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This was an excellent book, April 19, 2000

By A Customer

I thought that this was an excellent book. It has all the charcteristics I wanted it to have, sadness, and realashonships between people. This isen't a book that keeps you on the edge of your seat but it is very interesting to read. There are many deaths in it though. If you do not like sad books you should not read this book.