Mackenzie, Lost and Found

by Deborah Kerbel

Fifteen-year-old Mackenzie Hill knows something is up when she arrives home to find her father making a home-cooked dinner, instead of his standard delivery pizza. But nothing prepares her for the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1550028529
• ISBN13: 9781550028522
• Release Date: November 2008
• Publisher: Dundurn Group
• Length: 251 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.2" x 7.0"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

"An impressive, memorable book that I'll never forget."

Original/full review here: [...] Review Mackenzie, Lost and found is the utterly original, beautifully crafted story of a forbidden love. I thought Mackenzie and Nasir were such realistically portrayed characters. They were easy to relate to and I have a good feeling they will be very hard to forget. I particularly found Nasir to be an intriguing character. There was just something about him that was just so different from other male love interests in YA books and I don't just mean the fact that he's Muslim, though that probably played some part. Mackenzie and Nasir's relationship was genuine and based on the more important things, like being able to really talk to each other. Though at times it seems their relationship is developing too quickly, I had to remember that this book takes place over nearly a year of time. For this reason, I found myself wishing this book had been much longer so I could have watched their relationship develop and grow more, instead of just getting glimpses. Mackenzie, Lost and Found is a very unique, and in some ways, possibly controversial story. However, I only loved it all the more for it. I have to give serious kudos to Deborah Kerbel for writing this wonderful book. There are very few authors out there who would dare to write a story about a romance between a Caucasian Canadian girl and a Muslim boy. Deborah Kerbel's writing style definitely helped me form a closer connection to the story and its characters. I found it was suprisingly easy for me to picture the setting of Jerusalem. Now, everyone knows I love alternating perspectives in a book. After all, don't most people? Furthermore, I thought it was especially important that this book was written with alternating perspectives for numerous reasons. For starters, the insight I got into the Muslim culture. Another is that I got to know Nasir's opinions on his own culture and on others. Plus there is the obvious reason of getting to know both side of the story in general. The ending, well, lets just say the ending was not my favorite aspect of this book. There were parts about it that I liked and parts I really didn't. What I liked about the ending was that I could really see how Mackenzie had changed throughout the book and, in a way, she finally finds closure on a couple of things. However, this book also left me with a huge, nagging question that I really wish had been answered. I believe anyone who has read this book knows exactly what I'm talking about. Mackenzie, Lost and Found is an impressive, memorable book that I'll never forget. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend this book to anyone. Of course, there are always going to be those who aren't going to be keen on the idea of this book, but I think Mackenzie, Lost and Found is one that even they should read. I know it is one I'll be re-reading and I'm proud to have it in my personal library.

An exciting, thought-provoking read set in a world hot spot

With the Israel-Palestinian situation stirring up so much emotion around the world these days, it's refreshing to come across a Young Adult book that looks at the conflict through the fresh and naive eyes of a teen-age Canadian girl who has been torn from her roots and plunked down in the (to her) alien culture of Jerusalem. Mackenzie Hill, the protagonist, is the daughter of a world-renowned archaeologist who has accepted a temporary academic posting at Hebrew University. Mackenzie, still mourning the sudden death of her mother, is reluctant to leave her comfortable Toronto home but finally agrees. Once in Israel, she finds herself caught between two cultures - she befriends a young Israeli girl but finds herself drawn to a Palestinian boy named Nasir who works in a local store. Eventually, the furtive glances at one another turn into conversation and then, for Mackenzie, a first love. What she does not know is that Nasir's father is involved in a black market antiquities operation that will end up putting her life in peril. This is a fast-paced, well-written story of young love, culture clashes, and personal redemption with an emotionally wrenching climax that leaves readers wanting more. If there was ever a book that demands a sequel, this is it. Don't miss it.

A story of losing and finding yourself

Fifteen year old, Mackenzie Hill is still mourning the lost of her mother. Mackenzie is lost in her grief. To make matters worse, her father has decided to leave the only place she ever knew and the memories of her mother, to go to Israel. Her father gave her the deal of having three months in Israel and then she could always go home if she wanted to. Mackenzie falls in love with the culture. She becomes friends with Marla, an American girl. Mackenzie also finds Nasir, a Muslim... that she finds herself falling for The three months past, Mackenzie decides to stay without a though. She also finds out that someone is selling artifacts at the Souk. Will Mackenzie be able to find the seller, while being able to keep Nasir? Mackenzie was an amazing character and I liked learning about her. The setting of Jerusalem, was well done. I have had family there and they commented on the craziness, invisible divide between religions, and the culture. I love the whole star-crossed lovers feeling between Nasir and Mackenzie. I wished for a better ending, but the ending was still really good. I also liked how religion wasn't so overpowering, like I though it might be. Overall, Mackenzie, Lost and Found is a fantastic book and I recommend it. Kerbel creates such a real setting and plot. Her writing style was flowing and makes you want more. I can't wait for more books from her in the future.

Lost and Found

Enjoyed this book on a personal level for I could relate parts of my youth with 15-year old MacKenzie (losing a mother) and it held my interest because of the twists and turns it takes. Learnt how crazy Jewish and Muslim relations can be. The book is geared for young adult readers but is a good read for adults too!

Gut-wrenching

Mackenzie gave me the perfect opportunity to discover the experience of living in Jerusalem as she navigates her new life after her dad surprises her that it will be there new home for a year as he does a visiting professorship. Still morning her mother's death she comes to grips with her dad's decision, realizing that she does not have any other choice but go with him and try it out for at least three months. She is shocked to find that the trial period comes and goes and she decides to stay. Mackenzie begins to uncover some layers of the complex society, part of which from her new boyfriend, Nasir. Kerbel decided to tell the story from a unique point of view. Most of the book is told through Mackenzie's first person point of view and she addresses the reader from time to time. Then we see what is happening through Nasir's eyes via third person narrative in other chapters. There are not cues in the chapter titles, but within the first sentence of each chapter it is easy to tell when it switched to Nasir. It was an interesting combination as I am a big fan of alternating voices, but I do not remember another book where they had different points of view. Usually the multiple voices are either all first or all third person, rather than a mixture of the two. Because of this, I enjoyed how the book made me think and analyze about the point of view and why the author may have chosen this format. See more of my thoughts on this book at my blog: http://mrsvsreviews.blogspot.com/2009/02/mackenzie-lost-and-found.html