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Susan Shaw

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Notable Quotes

**NEW RELEASE**
One of the Survivors
"What do you do when the world stops making sense? When your mother dies in a house fire trying to save a cat. When 24 of your classmates die in a fire, but you and your best friend survive. When people blame you for surviving and come to your house to throw garbage in your yard and chant "Murderer! Murderer!" Fourteen-year-old Joseph Edward Campbell keeps a journal, to "fill time, fill the page, fill my mind," anything to keep himself from thinking.
Read More He fills three notebooks, writing about "nowhere stuff"-the color blue, vanilla ice cream, crickets and autumn leaves. But the journal effectively pulls readers into Joey's tortured mind, gradually revealing the whole story of how he and Maureen McGillicuddy survived and how his father and others nurture the healing process through quiet support and well-meaning cliches about life. Shaw's prose is simple and fast-moving, effectively using the indirection of journal entries to give voice to Joey's anguish. The wrenching premise and Joey's first-person point of view make this a story with broad appeal."
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Safe
After her devastating look at the effects of child abuse in The Boy from the Basement (2006), Shaw deftly tackles another difficult topic: the psychological wounds caused by a violent rape. Without really describing the attack or even using the word "rape" until late in the narrative, she focuses on 13-year-old Tracy's inability to cope with her trauma, nearly eliminating any suspense about the crime or the criminal. Instead, suspense centers on Tracy's emotional turmoil as the girl retreats into a solitary world after the attack.
Read More Nearly unable to leave her house, Tracy becomes obsessed with playing the piano, an activity she previously disliked. She's comfortable only with her father and her best friend Caroline, and she isn't too sure about Caroline. Visits to a therapist appear to make her worse. Readers may become as frustrated as Tracy with her slow progress, but the girl's courageous struggle will keep them reading. Compelling and affecting, especially for Shaw's audience. (Kirkus Reviews) Read More » Click to close

Black-Eyed Suzie
"This novel is a moving depiction of the darkness of mental illness. Readers will find themselves cheering Suzie on as she progresses to regain her confidence and trust. The book gives a realistic look at depression, mental illness, and child abuse." Read More »

The Boy from the Basement is an extraordinary tale of recovery, of a child's unrelenting loyalty in the face of hideous betrayal and abuse, and of the healing, transformative power of love. Read it and weep. We did." Read More »

Shops and Stores

• Boyds Mills Press
• Penguin Group
• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble

Titles

ONE OF THE SURVIVORS

was released by Simon and Schuster in September, 2009. It's about 14-year-old Joey Campbell, who, along with his friend, Maureen, survives a school fire that kills many of their friends. The community blames Joey for the fire, and he himself feels guilty for having survived. How does Joey make it through this tough time? Read the book and find out.

SAFE

A wonderful jewel from Dutton

13-year-old Tracy Winston begins this book recounting to the reader the events that led up to a terrible time in her life. Walking home with Caroline on the last day of school, saying goodbye to Caroline and hearing her front door slam, thinking about tomato sandwiches for lunch on that blue plate with the raised white flowers. Everything normal and as usual. Then! What happens is so terrible that Tracy won't tell us, only talks about an ocean wave that broke her arm when she was eleven. What happened? And how will Tracy live through a difficult period of healing? SAFE is a must read.
SAFE features a wonderful poem by Eileen Spinelli: To A Daughter Who Worries Much

Awards

• Carolyn W. Field Honor Book
• ALA Top Ten Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Readers

Note to those in the helping community: SAFE should be in the office of every guidance counselor and therapist who works with rape victims.

THE BOY FROM THE BASEMENT

For Charlie, the cold, dark basement is home. Father has kept him locked in there as punishment. Charlie doesn't intend to leave, but when ie is accidentally thrust outside, he awakens to the alien surroundings of a world to which he's never before been exposed. Though haunted by fear of the basement and his father's rage, Charlie embarks on a journey toward healing and blossoms when he becomes an unconditionally loved and loving member of the right foster family. This carefully crafted and authentic portrayal of Charlie's emotional and physical abuse is gracefully matched by Susan Shaw's inspiring and deeply moving story of recovery.

Awards

• New York Public Library Book For The Teen Age 2005
• A Junior Library Guild Selection
• Texas Tayshas Reading List
• Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers Selection
• Starred Kirkus Review

Available now in paperback!
PLACES TO BUY
Buy this book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or direct from Penguin in hardcover or paperback

Black-Eyed Suzie

"I live in a box with four sides, tall and brown. I cannot get out."
So opens the story of a twelve-year-old girl trapped in a devastating psychological prison. In it, she sits with arms wrapped around her legs, feet on the cushion of the family's gold living room chair, knees pressed against her chin. Seeking only to be "good enough," she remains motionless and silent for hours on end, feeling the walls of her prison pressing against her. To make sense of her world, Suzie must piece together a puzzle that involves seemingly unrelated clues--a broken bicycle, a torn picture, peacock feathers, ducks swimming in a pond on the hospital grounds, and a batch of burned cookies. Together, these pieces reveal a secret that is likely to change Suzie's life forever--and give her an opportunity to regain her voice and reclaim her spirit. Susan Shaw's compelling novel is an inspiring story about a child who, with patience and guidance, overcomes immense problems and regains control of her life.

Awards

Texas Lone Star Reading List

PLACES TO BUY
Buy this book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or direct from Boyds Mills Press through their toll-free number, (877) 512-8366.
Read reviews of this book here, and here

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