Claim to Fame

What if you were washed up at the age of 16? What if you were hiding away in your house, afraid people were talking about you whenever the sitcom you starred in as a kid reruns in endless syndication? Haddix, in her usual way, adds a touch of mystical powers to her otherwise plain Midwestern adventure. Jenny Ikeda is completely believable as Lindsay Scott, a loner who gets kidnapped by two teenaged male fans. Forced to stop being a hermit and face an uncaring world, the parentless Lindsay reluctantly starts to open up. Ikeda brings sadness, anger, and an ironic sense of humor to a girl who needs to stop thinking in terms of TV scripts if she hopes to find her own future. M.M.C. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine

November 23, 2009
Former child star Lindsay Scott has been out of the spotlight for five years, ever since she became a “hearer,” able to hear anything said about her, anywhere in the world (“I would call it a hidden talent, but talents are supposed to be happy possessions.... My secret skill has brought me nothing but pain”). The one place she isn't bombarded by voices is her home, where she's been a virtual recluse. When a tabloid reports that her father is keeping her hostage (in reality he died two weeks before), two local boys kidnap her, starting a chain of events that gets the 16-year-old back out into the world, discovering other hearers and ultimately finding her mother, whom she's never known. The premise is compelling, and Lindsay's powers have fascinating, sometimes heartbreaking results (when a police officer arrives to inform her of her father's death, she suddenly knows the news before he speaks, then must act devastated after he actually tells her). If everything wraps up a bit quickly, Haddix (Found
) nonetheless creates a thought-provoking story laced with themes of transcendentalism, self-centeredness, and the importance of human connectivity. Ages 10–14.

August 1, 2010

Gr 7-10-Lindsay Scott was once a famous child actor, but now she is a lonely, isolated 16-year-old, hiding in her house and wondering what to do after the unexpected death of her father. At age 11, she started hearing the voices of people who were talking about her all the time. After her apparent nervous breakdown, Lindsay and her dad moved from Hollywood to a small Midwestern town, where Lindsay led a quiet, friendless existence. Her house is the only place she can be without the constant chatter in her mind. Her father's death has pushed Lindsay to deal with the real world and she fights to keep her unusual ability secret from the prying Mrs. Mullin and the boys who thought they were doing her a favor by kidnapping her one night. Margaret Peterson Haddix's novel (S & S, 2009) is brought to life by Jennifer Ikeda's expert narration. She deftly portrays Lindsay's frustration and pain that comes with a rare ability. The girl's transformation from a confused and insecure child to a confident, thoughtful teen who realizes that she does need to have people in her life happens a bit too quickly, but Ikeda handles the change skillfully. A thought-provoking character study.-Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN

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