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Summary
Summary
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.
Author Notes
Peg Kehret was born in Wisconsin, grew up in Minnesota, spent fourteen years in California, and now lives with her husband in Washington State. They have two grown children, four grandchildren, one dog, and one cat.
Peg's novels for children are regularly recommended by the American Library Association, the International Reading Association, and the Children's Book Council. She has won many state "young reader" or "children's choice" awards. Peg's characters are ordinary kids who find themselves in exciting situations and who use their wits to solve their problems. There is usually humor as well as suspense in her books. A long-time volunteer at The Humane Society, she often uses animals in her stories.
Before she began writing books for children, Peg published plays, short stories, articles, and two books for adults. She is a frequent speaker at conferences for librarians and teachers.
At the age of twelve, Peg had polio and was paralyzed from the neck down. Because she can remember that experience and her year of recovery so vividly, she finds it easy to write in the viewpoint of a twelve or thirteen year old. Most of her main characters are that age. Her autobiography, Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio , won the Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators, and the PEN Center USA West Award for Children's Literature.
When she is not writing, Peg likes to watch baseball, bake cookies, and pump her old player piano.
Reviews (2)
Booklist Review
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.--Medlar, Andrew Copyright 2008 Booklist
School Library Journal Review
Gr 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 (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
