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Missing Abby / Lee Weatherly.

By: Material type: TextTextPublication details: Oxford [England] ; New York : David Fickling Books, 2004.Edition: 1st American edDescription: 198 p. ; 22 cmISBN:
  • 0385750528
  • 0385750536 (lib. bdg.)
Subject(s): DDC classification:
  • [Fic] 22
LOC classification:
  • PZ7.W3553 Mis 2004
Summary: As the last one to see thirteen-year-old Abby, Emma is determined to discover the truth about her mysterious disappearance, spurred in part by her feelings of guilt over ending their friendship in order to ensure popularity at her new school. Amidst the media frenzy and everyone's struggle to come to terms with the possibility of Abby's death, Emma starts a terrifying journey of her very own, as she uncovers things that lead to a discovery even the police have not thought of.
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Holdings
Item type Current library Collection Shelving location Call number Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Phillipsburg Free Public Library YA Fiction YA Fiction YA WEA Available 674891001524023
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

WHEN 13-YEAR-OLD EMMA bumps into her old friend Abby on the bus one Saturday afternoon, she later realizes that she was the last person to see Abby before her mysterious disappearance. Amidst the media frenzy and everyone's struggle to come to terms with the possibility of Abby's death, Emma starts a terrifying journey of her very own, as she uncovers things that lead to a discovery even the police have not thought of. . . . From the acclaimed author ofChild Xcomes a thrilling and memorable novel for readers of all abilities. Praise forChild X: "It is compelling, heartfelt, and sadly, totally believable. British slang will not deter the reader from racing through this gripping tale."--VOYA, Starred From the Hardcover edition.

As the last one to see thirteen-year-old Abby, Emma is determined to discover the truth about her mysterious disappearance, spurred in part by her feelings of guilt over ending their friendship in order to ensure popularity at her new school. Amidst the media frenzy and everyone's struggle to come to terms with the possibility of Abby's death, Emma starts a terrifying journey of her very own, as she uncovers things that lead to a discovery even the police have not thought of.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

School Library Journal Review

Gr 6-9-A missing person's report opens this suspenseful novel set in southern England. Abby Ryzner, a 13-year-old Goth, has vanished, and the last person to see her alive was her former best friend. Emma switched schools and distanced herself from Abby and a fantasy game the two of them had played for years after a traumatizing episode in which she was labeled a freak. With mixed emotions, Emma joins the search. Chapter titles provide a grim countdown of the passing days. Emma feels caught between two worlds-that of her new, fashionable friends and Abby's punk-looking companions who are into D & D. As she begins to hang out with Abby's friends, including Ski, a guy she can talk to, Emma finds herself, once again, absorbed by role-playing games. Knowing Abby was trying to set up a challenging, live-action game, Emma and Ski descend into the bowels of an industrial plant, armed only with flashlights against a scary, pitch-dark maze of tunnels with gurgling pipes. To their horror, they discover the truth about Abby's disappearance. The two mysteries keep readers guessing. Emma, the narrator, gradually gains strength to surmount shameful memories and learns to accept her own uniqueness. She also makes peace with Abby's family, after showing compassion and imagination in helping resolve the puzzle of their daughter's whereabouts.-Susan W. Hunter, Riverside Middle School, Springfield, VT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Booklist Review

Gr. 6-9. Thirteen-year-old Emma is devastated to learn that her friend Abby is missing, even though the girls had grown apart. Emma was eager to shed their childhood fantasy games, which had inspired intense bullying and derision from their classmates, while Abby became an even more outspoken enthusiast of Goth dress and Dungeons-and-Dragons-inspired role-playing. Fearing for Abby's safety, Emma reconnects with Abby's world, even as she worries that her new friends will discover her uncool interests. British writer Weatherly avoids formula with an unexpectedly bleak resolution to the mystery surrounding Abby. But the real focus here is on Emma's struggle to find a comfortable identity and overcome the subtle, powerful shame that victims of bullying can experience. Fans of Vivian Vande Velde's work will enjoy the suspense and fantasy gaming elements, and many young teens will see themselves in Emma, who yearns to speak truthfully without always worrying if it fitted in or sounded right. --Gillian Engberg Copyright 2005 Booklist

Horn Book Review

Months after dropping eccentric Abby as a friend, thirteen-year-old Emma awkwardly encounters her on a bus. Then Abby mysteriously disappears. Emma becomes involved in the search+and begins to question her past treatment of Abby. The book excels at examining the dissolution of a friendship when one friend is unconventional and the other longs for conformity. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Book Review

Thirteen-year-old Emma and her best friend Abby were fascinated with fantasy adventures, but Emma was tormented for her hobby and called a freak in their school. Desperate to escape, she abandoned Abby and transferred to a new school, where she found a new set of friends. A year later, Abby is missing, and Emma learns that she was the last to see her in a chance encounter on a bus. Wrestling with her emotions, Emma suffers more torment from Abby's new friends as she tries to help in the search. She tries to cope with the situation alone, leading her to lie to her parents, but also rediscovers her joy in fantasy and learns the meaning of friendship. The suspense is constant, as efforts to find Abby lead nowhere until Emma finally remembers something significant. But the British story also focuses on Emma's growth in emotional maturity and should easily appeal to American readers. (Fiction. 12-15) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
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