What Was Lost by Catherine O'Flynn - OPTIONAL

O’Flynn, Catherine What Was Lost, 240 p. Henry Holt, 2007. $14.00. 

Language: R (65 swears, 30-ish “f”); Violence: PG-13 (kids fall off the side of a mall in a tragic shopping cart accident); Sexual Content: G. 

HS - OPTIONAL

Kate, 11yo, loves being a detective and staking out people at the mall. Then one day she disappears without a trace. Twenty years later, Lisa, the sister of the man accused (though never proved) of killing Kate is working at the mall when she strikes up a friendship with Kurt, a security guard, who has seen something funny on the monitors – something that may be related to Kate’s disappearance. 

If it weren’t for the large amount of “f’s”, I would recommend this as a classroom read for high school. The theme of loss is expounded and expanded and eloquently expressed without being obvious. You should recommend this to an adult to read – I thought it was well worth my time. 

Cindy, Library-Teacher