Safe by Susan Shaw

(3 out of 5)

Reading Level: Young Adult

Safe for Tracy is the memory of her Mama.

Safe is her Pa and school and her best friend Caroline.

Safe is normal until the day the orange car pulls up and everything, even Mama, is ripped away.

Tracy is thirteen and in a blink of an eye her whole world is turned upside down. She is ripped from the sidewalk, thrown into the back of an orange car, and is attacked. Susan Shaw has written a very serious story about rape. Shaw is not explicit or graphic and the word rape is only mentioned once by Tracy towards the end of the book. Shaw does not dwell on the actual rape itself but what the aftermath is for this young girl. Tracy is afraid to leave her home and she throws herself into her piano lessons. Music and her Pa seem to be the only things that make her feel better. Tracy does not want to talk about what happened to her she just wants to forget. What Tracy finds out is that you can’t bottle up your feelings and try to get back to normal.

I felt the book was well written and I liked that Ms. Shaw didn’t get graphic about the rape itself. She gives you bits and pieces and I thought that was more effective then actually giving you a play by play. At times I did feel a little frustrated. I wanted Tracy to see the importance of talking to someone about what happened to her. Talking can help a person heal. I think she was somewhat in denial. If she never had to think or talk about it again then it didn’t happen.

If you would like to see what other books Ms. Shaw has written you can visit her website, http://www.susanshaw.org/index.html.