I Have Been in Danger
Description
$9.95
ISBN 1-55050-185-2
DDC jC813'.54
Author
Publisher
Year
Contributor
Kristin Butcher writes novels for young adults. Her most recent works
are Cairo Kelly and the Mann, The Gamma War, and The Tomorrow Tunnel.
Review
Twelve year-old Jackie Bailey is trapped on a treacherous mountainside.
She is injured and she is alone, both physically and emotionally. As she
floats in and out of consciousness, she recalls the events that landed
her in this predicament. Meanwhile, her younger sister Sidney, putting
to use everything she ever learned as a Junior Forest Warden, is
searching for her. Friends, as well as sisters, the girls share an
uncanny bond which aids Sidney in her search, so that finding Jackie
proves to be the easy part of the ordeal. Dealing with Jackie’s injury
and devising a plan for their rescue prove much more challenging, and
for the first time in her life, Sidney is the one who must take the
lead.
The story begins in the middle of the action, and flits back and forth
in time and between sisters. Each chapter opens with the current
situation, which is marked by italics. Then Foggo reverts to the story
leading up to the action. Eventually the sisters and time frames
converge, and the story moves forward in a linear fashion. The problem
with this technique is that there is no clear point of view, and it is
often ambiguous whose memories are being recounted. Moreover, Foggo
occasionally slides into the thoughts of other characters as well, and
this further adds to the confusion. Nevertheless, the realistic
portrayal of relationships and the angst of growing up and making
choices far outweigh these flaws. Preteen readers will find this an
exciting and thought-provoking read. Highly recommended.