Stalked

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"The Lorimer SideStreets Series takes on edgy issues in a direct way. Both Derek and Amy are believably drawn."

CM Magazine

"Easy for readers to follow...The writing is clear with simple description to emphasize mood."

What If? Magazine

"Easily captures your attention and takes you on an emotional rollercoaster...Stalked is a well-told coming of age story that shows how much we can achieve when we decide to do what is right instead of what is easy."

Children's Literature - Judy DaPolito

Amy, the protagonist of this short novel, is a shy high school junior from British Columbia who plans to make a career in fashion design. Her family will not be able to pay her way, but when her textile teacher announces that next year seniors will be able to apply for a full scholarship to the Vancouver Film School's Costume Design Certificate program, she determines to try for it. Her teacher tells Amy that her class projects will make a great portfolio and that she will give her a good reference. But she will need to get a summer job because one of her three references must be from an employer. So Amy and her outgoing best friend, Elise, go to their school's career fair and Elise manages to get them both hired to work at the Coastal Oasis Resort for the summer. Amy is attracted to Derek, the handsome man in his early or middle twenties who hires them, but has no idea of his being attracted to her as well. When she fears that her shyness in dealing with people will keep her from getting a good recommendation at the end of the summer, she goes to his office to ask for suggestions for improvement. His response is to ask her to meet him for coffee after dinner. Though Amy is well aware that their relationship is inappropriate, she is so charmed by his attention that she continues to see him alone until his demands for sex scare her and she pulls back. The situation culminates in his attempting to rape her in the bedroom she shares with Elise. In the meantime, she has become close to Jon, one of the other summer hires, and she confides in him but refuses to report Derek's behavior to other officials at the resort. Jon's cousin Simone, another summer hire had had an affair with Derek the summer before, and her awareness of his attentions to Amy causes her to attempt suicide. Amy does report Derek then, and he loses his job at the resort. An epilogue carries the story forward to the end of Amy's studies in the Costume Design program. She goes to meet friends for lunch at a hotel and sees Derek leading a tour of the building. After he threatens her in an empty passageway, she goes home and calls his employers to give them his history. The events of the story are well presented and believable, but the epilogue's tone does not fit as well as the rest. Reviewer: Judy DaPolito

School Library Journal

Gr 6–11—Amy and Elise, best friends, get great summer jobs at the Oasis resort on a remote Vancouver Island. Amy has a lot riding on her job as she's looking for an excellent reference to help her get into fashion-design school. She also has the hots for her boss, Derek, and when he approaches her she is flattered, but knows that something isn't right. Derek does not groom Amy well at all, so her sense of wrong intensifies as his sleazy motives become crystal clear. The ho-hum writing, combined with a story that has too many unimportant details, makes this one to skip. Lurlene McDaniel's Prey (Delacorte, 2008) has more action, intensity, complexity, and plot. Reluctant teen readers may find Stalked a bit dull in comparison.—Amy Cheney, Alameda County Library, Oakland, CA