The One Left Behind

by Willo Davis Roberts

Book Overview

Mandy awoke in darkness. For a moment she didn't remember that Angel was gone, that she would not be coming back, and then the pain hit her like a physical blow.For the first time in her eleven years,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0689850751
• ISBN13: 9780689850752
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Atheneum Books
• Length: 139 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.8" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 9 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 4 to 7

Customer Reviews

Left Behind

When I write a review of a children's book I have to be very careful that I don't let my preconceptions of that book's author color my reading of their newest work. When I read Polly Horvath, I can't assume that it's going to contain parentless children and when I read Kate DiCamillo I can't assume that it's going to feature an animal of some sort. And when I read Willo Davis Roberts I must try as hard as possible not to remember that she wrote one of my favorite books from my childhood, "The Girl With the Silver Eyes". Even if an author wrote a book you lauded, loved, and worshipped as a child, that is no reason to instantly assume you're going to love their next book. It helped that when a co-worker of mine handed me, "The One Left Behind", she told me that it wasn't very good. So I had two simultaneous and conflicting preconceptions battling one another. My love of Roberts' work and a co-worker's pan. As it happens, I enjoyed this last and posthumous book that ended up being Roberts' one hundredth title for children. It's got a bit of melodrama at its core and perhaps a little finagling to make the story work, but all in all this is a book that does the memory of Willo Davis Roberts proud. A kiddie thriller for the mini-Hitchcocks amongst us. Mandy is a twin. Well... she was a twin. A year ago Angel, her sister, died of food poisoning and left Mandy devastated and alone. Since that time her family has pulled together and gone on with their lives. All except Mandy. With only the family dog to talk to and a bunch of older brothers who have their own problems, she's having a hard time adjusting to going through life solo. When her parents go on a vacation by themselves, it's understood that Mandy will be staying with one of her brothers during the week-end. Through a series of miscommunications, however, she instead ends up left all by herself in her home for the three days that everybody's gone. At first this isn't a problem. She feeds the family dog and tries to be brave in spite of the creepiness of the house. The first night she's there, however, she hears someone downstairs, watching tv and feeding her dog. As the mystery of her intruder grows, Mandy grows more and more self-assured, drawing on memories of her twin for strength. When the book takes a turn towards kidnapping, attempted murder, and chase sequences, it's up to Mandy to keep a cool head and find a way to take care of herself, no matter what. Roberts fans are going to notice right off the bat the similarities here to the author's previous your-home-is-never-safe story, "Hostage". There are actually several Roberts stand-bys in this book. As an author, she was never afraid to have her characters mention faith or prayer, but without ever drawing attention to the fact or making the book an exercise in preachy didacticism. Also, you never think that the main character is truly safe. When danger comes, you feel it. You can sense the reality of the situati