Whisper: At five years old, Britney is used to living in an abusive household when repeatedly seeing her mother being beaten for reasons she can’t even begin to understand at such a tender age. But the day this frightened little girl is forced to run away from home and consequently stripped from the only comfort she has, that of a loving mother, everything instantly changes. With only her loyal puppy for company, Britney sets out on a journey that will forever alter the rest of her life. Relying heavily on the kindness of strangers along the way, she slowly comes to learn the true value of allowing second chances and discovers the peace which can come from freely offering forgiveness, even after having been so greatly wronged.
Lucas: Delving deeper into Lucas’s life as a wandering orphan, readers will get to know more about the kind-hearted man who
takes the vulnerable Britney under his wing. First introduced in Whisper, the background of this character is explored in more detail as the ten-year-old boy searches for his own place to belong. Still grieved by the childhood loss of Bandit, his canine companion and protecter, Lucas is faced with several painful memories and far more responsibility than he ever thought possible when another brave dog unexpectedly leads him to a distraught little girl who appears to have been abandoned and almost never speaks. Lucas is worried that Britney is merely lost and does everything possible to find her family, but as the timid girl finally begins to trust him, he soon realizes that she is right where she belongs, no matter what had happened in the past to bring them together.
Escape: When sixteen-year-old Kaylee runs away to be married, she soon discovers that doing so without her parents’ permission probably wasn’t the wisest choice. The inexperienced young woman is terrified as her childhood sweetheart suddenly begins to abuse her for unexplained reasons, and returning home no longer seems possible when Britney is born just a short time later. Fearful their daughter will incite Carlos further, Kaylee frantically decides the only thing to do is send the confused little girl away. Separated from her only child for year after year, Kaylee finally goes after Britney, only to be quickly followed by her husband. Kaylee longs to be reunited with both her daughter and husband, but can Carlos’ claim about seeking forgiveness really be true?
Evaluation comments:
“These books were beautifully written, about some difficult and scary situations.”
“It is written in such a way that that the Pre-teen reader will feel the fear but be interested in the outcome and I believe be happy with the conclusion.”
“The three stories are intertwined, and each has a sad/scary beginning and a promising, happy conclusion”
“Whisper (name is for a puppy in the book) centers on a five-year-old who has lived with a loving mother who is abused by the father. The mother sends this young child from her village to another hoping she will find a loving family and be safe. The child ends up finding a loving family that includes a woman and her adopted son. The next book, Lucas, centers on the adopted son’s story. His parents die at an early age, and he is living with neighbors. He fears he is intruding, and they cannot afford to keep him in their family, so he leaves and finds a couple whose daughter recently ran away at the age of 16. They take him in and adopt him, and he learns his adopted father’s trade, having a wonderful life. The third book, Escape, is the story of Kaylee, who falls in love at an early age and runs away to get married. Her husband becomes abusive, and she does what she can to protect her young child, sending her away. As stated, the three books are intertwined.”
“The stories are centered on fictional villages; no time period is provided. The villages and the daily lives are described beautifully, I could pictures the little cottages and the gardens.”
“The writing is simple, clear, and gentle. Even with the sad stories of abuse, death and escape, there is always positivity, love and caring. Each story ends happily. I like the intertwined stories, and they were interesting and kept my interest. I think pre-teens and young teens will enjoy these books.”