Dead to You

January 2, 2012
This intriguing but slight character study is built around the first-person account of a teenager returning to his family nine years after strangers lured him into the backseat of a car and drove away. It’s emotionally rich territory, but the setup is highly improbable. Authorities reunite 16-year-old Ethan De Wilde with his family mere hours after he makes his claim, forgoing background and DNA checks. Ethan is enrolled in school the following week without placement testing or counseling. Presumably, McMann (Cryer’s Cross) has confirmed that such casual handling of a victimized family is possible, but the impression remains that the unlikely scenario has been created to suit her plot twists. Ethan’s voice is convincing, even compelling at times, but too many opportunities arise over the course of the novel for readers to notice what McMann is not letting Ethan say. In a work of short fiction, these elements could have succeeded or been ignored. As is, though, the ending feels a bit deceptive. Ages 14–up. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management.

June 1, 2012
Gr 9 Up-Seven-year-old Ethan was abducted from his front yard while playing with his little brother. Now he's 16 and miraculously returns to his family. He can recall very little about his life before the abduction, and struggles to transition back into a "normal" family routine. He has to learn how to live with a family he doesn't know and is faced with interviews from the press, meeting relatives he can't remember, and the angst of going back to school. When his brother is assigned a school project on genetics, a difference between them is revealed and suspicions arise about Ethan's heritage. A romance with Cami, Ethan's best friend from before the abduction, offers additional appeal for teens. Realistic and at times raw, Lisa McMann's novel (Simon Pulse, 2012) sheds some light on a topic too often in the news today. Aaron Tveit provides a believable performance, drawing listeners into this suspenseful story and its shocking conclusion.-"Lyn Gebhard, Sparta Public Library, NJ"

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-Seven-year-old Ethan was abducted from his front yard while playing with his little brother. Now he's 16 and miraculously returns to his family. He can recall very little about his life before the abduction, and struggles to transition back into a "normal" family routine. He has to learn how to live with a family he doesn't know and is faced with interviews from the press, meeting relatives he can't remember, and the angst of going back to school. When his brother is assigned a school project on genetics, a difference between them is revealed and suspicions arise about Ethan's heritage. A romance with Cami, Ethan's best friend from before the abduction, offers additional appeal for teens. Realistic and at times raw, Lisa McMann's novel (Simon Pulse, 2012) sheds some light on a topic too often in the news today. Aaron Tveit provides a believable performance, drawing listeners into this suspenseful story and its shocking conclusion.-Lyn Gebhard, Sparta Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.