Christopher, L. (2010).
Stolen. New York: Scholastic.
Stolen made the 2011 USBBY Outstanding Interational Book list and was also a recipient of the Printz Honor for literary excellence in Young Adult Literature in 2011. The novel is written in the form of a letter from a captured teenage girl to her captor, after being kidnapped at the airport and taken against her will to the Australian Outback. To me, the narrative voice in this story is what makes it most compelling, and I have explored with the "you" form myself when writing pieces of short nonfiction. The book is a moving and honest portrayal of how relationships can change and that the world does not always exist in white and black.
Questions for Discussion:
1. Gemma, a girl from England, is kidnapped and taken to Australia. What are the political implications of this part of the plot, and how do they show imperialism in reverse?
2. Do you agree with the assessment at the end of the book that Gemma is suffering from "Stockholm's syndrome"? Why or why not?
3. Why do you think the author chooses the second person "you" form of narration? Is it effective? Why or why not?
4. What do you think of Ty by the end of the book, and why?
5. How do you think the setting of the Australian Outback can serve as a character in the novel?
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