Sal

February 1, 2018

Sal is a wee Scottish lassie of 13 who loves too much. That's why she has to kill Robert. Robert is her mum's live-in boyfriend who enables mum's drinking and drug habits; he is also Sal's serial sexual abuser. When he mentions that he might also be interested in Sal's beloved ten-year-old sister, Peppa, Sal realizes she has to act. For a full year, she devotes herself to memorizing the SAS Survival Handbook, getting hold of a Bear Grylls hunting knife, and boning up on YouTube and Wikipedia features on survival, as well as any number of other esoteric topics. She also hoards belVita biscuits so she doesn't have to rely on insects the way they do on that daft Survivor show. Having done the bloody deed, she and Peppa light out for the Scottish countryside, where the ever resourceful and resilient Sal can elude the authorities and put into practice what she's learned to protect her sister. VERDICT That this debut novel is about the hot topic of female empowerment (even if written by a man) should be enough to attract attention; readers, once hooked, will be captivated by Sal's resolution, ingenuity, singular voice, and infinite capacity for wonder in the face of appalling circumstances.--Bob Lunn, Kansas City, MO

Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2018
Sal is not a spur-of-the-moment runaway. With her 10-year-old sister, Peppa, in tow, 13-year-old Sal prepared for this day, when they would start living in the Scottish wilderness armed with some supplies she secretly bought online and the knowledge she gained from YouTube videos and the SAS Survival Handbook. Pressed by the immediate concerns of finding food, shelter, and warmth, the intrepid teenager slowly reveals the circumstances that led them here. She knew she had to run to save her sister from Robert, their mother's live-in boyfriend, because Peppa was about the age Sal had been when Robert started abusing her. And now Robert is dead. As the days turn into weeks, the girls meet another resident of the woods who once was a doctor in West Germany and vows to keep their secret safe. Startling in its simplicity and immediacy, told from Sal's undeniably practical perspective, this remarkable debut novel is a story of courage, lost innocence, and freedom. Sal memorably unpacks the skills needed for survival, of all kinds.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)