Hidden by Helen Frost

Hidden by Helen Frost. Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011.

Wren and Dara see each other at camp and immediately recognize one another from their previous encounter six years earlier. A man (Darra’s father) stole a car, not realizing that Wren was in the backseat. The man drove the car to his garage and Wren quickly hid from him, instinctively knowing she was in danger. She was terrified, hungry and thirsty and she was trapped in the thief’s garage, unable to tell anyone or get out.

Watching a newscast , Darra realized what must have happened and that Wren may be in the garage somewhere. She decided to try to help Wren and leave out food and water (ostensibly for the cat) along with a blanket. A few days later, the police come to her house to arrest her father and she realizes that Wren somehow escaped. Darra blames Wren for Darra’s father’s arrest.

Neither girl ever said anything to anyone else about what happened. Now, six years have passed and they are both grappling with events from that fateful encounter and with Darra’s father’s imminent release from prison.

This short novel in free verse is told from alternating viewpoints.  Recommended for grades 4 and up. 

Visit Helen Frost's website

Something Like Hope

Something Like Hope by Shawn Goodman. Published by Delacorte Press, 2011.

Shavonne wants to believe things can get better. She wants to believe she can get her baby back from foster care. She wants to get help.

For now, none of this seems attainable. She is locked up in a juvenile detention facility. She stole a sandwich and assaulted one of the few guards who have shown her any kindness and a transfer to an adult prison seems imminent. She blames her social worker for many problems but most of all, Shavonne blames herself.

A new guard named Cyrus sparks a little curiosity about geese, nature, and life. Mr. Delpopolo is a new counselor and he seems pretty genuine in his willingness to help Shavonne. Something about him gets through to her. He seems good at his job, doesn’t play any games but is also kind of sad and discouraged.

A disaster on a routine medical visit results in the emergence of Shavonne as an unexpected hero, but not everyone is happy about that. She has made some serious and powerful enemies. Shavonne wants to turn her life around but she doesn’t know how. Can Mr. Delpopolo and Cyrus help her?

This realistic fiction about a young woman trying to turn her life around is recommended for grades 8 and up.

Visit author Shawn Goodman's website