Review of The Night She Disappeared

The Night She Disappeared by April Henry.  Henry Holt, 2012.

Drew, Gabie, and Kayla work at Pete’s Pizza, and most nights Gabie delivers pizzas.  Out of the blue, Kayla asked Gabie to change shifts with her so she could be free on Friday night. So on Wednesday, Kayla was making pizza deliveries instead of Gabie.  She went out to deliver three pizzas and never returned.

Gabie is both horrified and frightened when Drew tells her that the guy who phoned the order in asked for the girl driving the Mini-Cooper.  Gabie is the only one working at Pete’s who drives a Mini-Cooper!  The guy on the phone, who now has Kayla, really wanted Gabie!

As the days drag on, everyone, including the police and a psychic, think Kayla is dead.  But Gabie and Drew aren’t so sure.  It’s a race against time to try to find clues to Kayla’s disappearance.  Could the kidnapper take Gabie next?

This book grabbed me from the first paragraph!  It is chilling page-turner and also a quick read!  The majority of the story is told chromatically in days beginning with the day the  kidnapping takes place, in alternating voices of the characters—Drew, Gabie, Kayla, “John Robertson” (the kidnapper),  plus others.  Pieces of evidence, including the kidnapper’s pizza order, the 9-1-1 transcript of the kidnapping, Kayla’s fortune cookie slip, an interview with a suspect, the transcript of a radio show, and more are included in the book.

I think one of the reasons the book works is that, like April Henry’s previous book, Girl Stolen, the author has told a tale that could actually happen in real life!  The reader gets to see inside the minds of all the people involved in the story.  Drew is a great guy; although he comes from a bad home-life, he is tough and has both true survival skills and a good heart.  Gabie is very persistent, and I got the impression that she might have some ESP capabilities in her; she never gives up on Kayla and insists she is still living.  Kayla’s parents are desperately grasping at straws, even going so far as to bring in a psychic to help find their daughter.  While Kayla’s parents truly believe what the psychic tells them, Gabie is convinced that she is really a charlatan!
 

The cover art is terrific!  It really picks up the theme and mood of the book!  If you like fast-paced, action-packed mysteries, this book is for you!  I highly recommend it for middle school, high school, and public libraries.

The copy of The Night She Disappeared reviewed was obtained from the publisher at ALA Midwinter.

Review of The Private Thoughts of Amelia E. Rye

The Private Thoughts of Amelia E. Rye by Bonnie Shimko.  Farrar, Strauss, Giroux, 2010.

Grandpa Thomas told his granddaughter, Amelia Earhart Rye, that all she would ever need is one true friend, but Amelia doesn’t have even one person she could call a friend. Then Fancy Nelson moves to town, and Amelia finds the best friend she has never had. There is only one problem…Fancy is black! Actually, this isn’t a problem for Amelia and Fancy, just for everyone else. Fancy and her mother live in a big, beautiful mansion owned by Judge Watson, and Fancy has the prettiest clothes Amelia has ever seen! It turns out that Fancy's beautiful mother is really Judge Watson's daughter!  While Amelia thinks that her mother doesn't want or love her, after her death, Amelia finds out what love really is.

This has to be the most delightful book I have read in a long time! Amelia, Fancy, and Grandpa Thomas are extremely well-developed and charming characters. Despite its early 1960s racial setting, the two girls become fast friends. I liked the added twist of having Amelia discover that Margo La Rue, with whom her father ran off, is actually a wonderful, caring woman, and the two develop a loving relationship. Having Grandpa Thomas, Amelia, and Jack, her brother, stand up to Sylvia, their cunning sister, and her greedy husband, Sam, was both funny and gratifying! Although the book is written for a younger audience, I think that it could be thoroughly enjoyed by any age group! It reminds me Fannie Flagg’s books, but written for a younger audience!  There is humor, drama, and small town nostalgia all rolled into this fabulous novel!

This book was a real page-turner. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND it for upper elementary, middle school, high school, and public libraries!!!!

Review of Tricks by Ellen Hopkins

Tricks by Ellen Hopkins; Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2009

Tricks is the story of five teenagers who, because of different circumstances, end up in the prostitution business. Eden, who comes from a strict religious background, escapes from a rehabilitation center for wayward teens. Seth is thrown out of his home by his father, who discovers he is secretly gay. Sibling rivalry and boyfriend disillusionment pushes Whitney over the edge, and, unbeknownst to her, she hooks up with a pimp. Ginger runs away with a friend after she discovers her mother has sold her to be raped. The death of a stepfather and a gambling problem causes Cody to turn to prostitution to pay bills and cover debts. Ultimately, each teen goes into a downward spiral, which results in their ultimate destruction.

What can I say about the writings of Ellen Hopkins that hasn’t already been said? This book is edgy, brutal, graphic, and honest. Readers who have devoured her books will not be disappointed. However, as an adult, this book was extremely hard for me to read. To watch some of these teenagers be ignored and abused by their parents was just excruciating. I wanted to step into the story and help these kids! Of course, I am sure that is one of the reactions for which Ms. Hopkins was hoping! Every chapter was told alternately from each character’s viewpoint, opening with an original poem and moving into their stories, which progressively got more and more intense. Near the end of the book the stories began to intertwine, and some of the characters interacted with one another. Oddly enough, there is a semi-happy conclusion to the teens’ predicaments.
There is an author’s note at the end of the book giving information about teen prostitution and a helpful organization.

I recommend this book for upper high school students and public libraries.