Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Girl, Stolen (Christy Ottaviano Books) by April Henry.


Griffin just wanted the Escalade he’d stolen as a little present for himself, something to impress his criminal father, Roy. What he didn’t expect or choose was the 16 year old girl sleeping in the back seat. Ill with pneumonia, she was waiting for her stepmom outside a pharmacy when Griffin unwittingly kidnapped her. Cheyenne is smart and has lots of fire, so she may be a match for one teenage guy. But, she is also blind, the daughter of Nike’s president and on her way home with Griffin where Roy and his two unscrupulous employees await. The adults will be happy to exploit her for as much money as possible, with little thought to her wellbeing.

The story of Cheyenne’s captivity and Griffin’s guilty involvement unfolds in alternating chapters by both teens. Readers witness Cheyenne’s tricky and brave attempts at escape, Griffin’s fear of his father and his henchmen, and his growing empathy for Cheyenne. When likelihood that the criminals will never free her and may consider murder becomes clear, the teens reach an uneasy alliance. They will need all of Cheyenne’s resourcefulness and Griffin’s inside knowledge to save themselves.

Cheyenne is a super gutsy heroine, and Griffin is a young man in horrible circumstances who just may be able to redeem himself. Interesting details of Cheyenne’s relatively new blindness and the way that she copes enrich the story. Teens will love the book’s fast pace and will cheer Cheyenne’s quick thinking and daring plans.