Since You've Been Gone

November 1, 2014

Gr 8 Up-Fifteen-year-old Edie is no stranger to starting over. She and her mother have been evading her abusive father for longer than she cares to remember. This time however, things are different. Edie doesn't just have to move to a new town and make new friends. She is forced to relocate to London, leaving her beloved cat behind at a moment's notice. As if adjusting to a new country weren't enough of a challenge, Edie finds herself at the center of a missing person case when her mother does not return home from her new job. With the help of unlikely ally and romantic prospect Jermaine, Edie's search for her mother takes her all over the city. It is on this journey that she realizes it's time to stop running and start living. This realistic novel is a quick read with a slightly implausible plot. If readers are able to overlook the myriad of unlikely coincidences and hasty wrap-up, they will enjoy this fast-paced sojourn through London. For fans of Maureen Johnson's 13 Little Blue Envelopes (HarperCollins, 2005).-Jennifer Furuyama, Pendleton Public Library, OR

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2014
Grades 8-10 Fifteen-year-old Edie Fraser has spent her whole life running away. After she and her mother, Sydney, move to London, Sydney doesn't come home after work one night, and Edie is left alone. Edie and her new friend Jermaine begin to search for Sydney, but they soon realize that England wasn't far enough for Mrs. Fraser to escape her past. The novel starts with a great first line Today I punched Ranice James in the face which sets the tone for this fast-paced mystery, and the tension only increases as they find clues. But this is also a good character study of both Edie, who, despite her desire to stay safe and avoid danger, now must face her fears in order to find her missing mother, and Jermaine, who struggles to find his place in life. This Canadian import makes for a quick, exciting read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)