Julie's Secret

Laurence Steven is Chairman of the English Department at Laurentian
University and author of Dissociation and Wholeness in Patrick White’s
Fiction.

Julie’s Secret, a sequel to Taylor’s bestseller Julie, involves a
young girl who is discovering how to deal with her extraordinary psychic
abilities. Many examples of Julie’s gift are highlighted; at the
story’s climax, her powers are used to help rescue her kidnapped
brother. The book has a simple, though sometimes disjointed, story line
that, while slow in developing, does manage to do so.

The story begins awkwardly, jumping between family life, school, and
Julie’s difficulty in understanding her ability to read other
people’s thoughts. Foreshadowing is overused to build suspense; this
device leaves the reader wondering whether the story is a mystery,
drama, or fantasy. Such slow plot development, combined with the lack of
illustrations, suggests that children between 9 and 13 will have
difficulty maintaining their interest. Yet they should be encouraged to
hang in there until Taylor hits her stride.

Targeting an audience that is highly sensitive to differences from, or
in, its peers, Taylor deftly shows how Julie learns to accept and
benefit from her differences. The book develops the positive side of
being unique, and stresses, without being ponderous, that a person’s
differences are not something to be feared. If young readers can hold on
through the opening chapters, they will in all likelihood be able to
relate to Julie and gain insight into how to handle similar situations.
The story eventually comes together.

For such a slim paperback, however, the price seems unreasonable. Too
costly for the intended audience, it may make even an adult buyer
hesitate.