The Girl in the Wall by Daphne Benedis-Grab
ISBN: 978-1-4405-5270-0
Benedis-Grab, D. (2012). The girl in the wall. Blue Ash, OH: Merit Press.
Plot Summary
Ariel and Sera were best friends their until lives, until Sera did something Ariel cannot forgive. Ariel’s birthday is going to be the event of the year with rock star Hudson Winters making an exclusive appearance. Sera does not want to go, everyone at the party hates her, but her father makes her attend. Tragedy strikes as the lights turn off and Ariel’s father and new best friend are murdered. Ariel hides in the secret tunnels running through the house, and tries to determine what is going on. From her secret hiding places she is able to overhear conversations and creates a plan to save her friends. The murdering kidnappers figure out Ariel is still alive and begin threatening and harming the other partygoers in an attempt to find her. Sera and Hudson join forces, secretly communicating with Ariel, and plan an uprising against their kidnappers. First, they must convince Sera’s classmates to trust her since she has been ostracized for months. Second, they must act quickly, before Ariel’s innocent younger sister shows up for her sister’s birthday. Third, they must act secretly, without any hint of what they are planning. Will a dozen unarmed high school students be able to take on armed murderers?
Critical Evaluation
Highly implausible, yet engaging enough to finish, The Girl in the Wall tries to be more than it is. Told in alternating voices by Sera and Ariel, former best friends, makes it sometimes difficult to differentiate between the two. Amidst the chaos of her father’s death, the kidnapping of her classmates, and the worry over her younger sister, Ariel somehow finds time to connect romantically with one of her former staff. This young man also heroically dies in order to save Ariel, someone who learned his name mere hours before. Sera also finds romance with a teen pop star. How four characters in the middle of a murderous kidnapping debacle manage to fall in love is ludicrously unexplainable. A hostile teen takeover also proves to be far-fetched, but is explained in a way to make it somewhat believable and possible. There are also too many convenient situations, the secret tunnels known only to Ariel and Sera, the distant, but secretly loving father, and the similar-looking new best friend who is killed instead. The aftermath is also surprisingly anticlimactic. Some are institutionalized, some see psychologists, and others are basically fine. All are explained as a footnote, rather than exploring the complicated realities of being a hostage. The most satisfying ending is between Sera and the pop star.
Reader’s Annotation
Sera and Ariel were best friends until Sera betrayed Ariel. Then, a horrific night leaves both of them having to trust one another if they want to get out alive.
About the Author
Daphne Benedis-Grab has written two novels for young adults. Her first, Alive and Well in Prague, New York, was her thesis for graduate school at The New School. The basis for the book came from her experiences of her terminally ill father. The Girl in the Wall was originally just a fun project that turned into a full young adult novel. In between the two books, Benedis-Grab wrote books for hire under pen names.
Benedis-Grab grew up in New York State. During middle school, she decided to be an author. She nurtured her writing skills by journaling daily and writing soap opera-type stories with her best friend. While in high school, hanging out with friends became more important, and then Benedis-Grab majored in history in college. After graduating, she taught English in China, built houses in Georgia, waitressed in Boston, and tutored in San Francisco. Benedis-Grab returned to New York and was studying theology in graduate school. After reading a book she looked at The New School, saw there was a Masters of Fine Arts with an emphasis on children, and applied. She now lives in New York with her husband, two children, and cat.
Genre
Suspense/Thriller
Curriculum Ties
N/A
Booktalking
Things to do with secret tunnels running through your house, what about hiding from a murder?
Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 6th grade
IL: 8th grade and up
Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include kidnapping, traitorous adults, and a deadly battle between kidnappers and high school students.
In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.
Why Included
My mother received the book in the mail from a promotion, and as it was young adult I decided to try it.
Others in the Series
N/A
References
Benedis-Grab, D. (2013) About me. Retrieved from http://www.daphnebg.com/about-me
ISBN: 978-1-4405-5270-0
Benedis-Grab, D. (2012). The girl in the wall. Blue Ash, OH: Merit Press.
Plot Summary
Ariel and Sera were best friends their until lives, until Sera did something Ariel cannot forgive. Ariel’s birthday is going to be the event of the year with rock star Hudson Winters making an exclusive appearance. Sera does not want to go, everyone at the party hates her, but her father makes her attend. Tragedy strikes as the lights turn off and Ariel’s father and new best friend are murdered. Ariel hides in the secret tunnels running through the house, and tries to determine what is going on. From her secret hiding places she is able to overhear conversations and creates a plan to save her friends. The murdering kidnappers figure out Ariel is still alive and begin threatening and harming the other partygoers in an attempt to find her. Sera and Hudson join forces, secretly communicating with Ariel, and plan an uprising against their kidnappers. First, they must convince Sera’s classmates to trust her since she has been ostracized for months. Second, they must act quickly, before Ariel’s innocent younger sister shows up for her sister’s birthday. Third, they must act secretly, without any hint of what they are planning. Will a dozen unarmed high school students be able to take on armed murderers?
Critical Evaluation
Highly implausible, yet engaging enough to finish, The Girl in the Wall tries to be more than it is. Told in alternating voices by Sera and Ariel, former best friends, makes it sometimes difficult to differentiate between the two. Amidst the chaos of her father’s death, the kidnapping of her classmates, and the worry over her younger sister, Ariel somehow finds time to connect romantically with one of her former staff. This young man also heroically dies in order to save Ariel, someone who learned his name mere hours before. Sera also finds romance with a teen pop star. How four characters in the middle of a murderous kidnapping debacle manage to fall in love is ludicrously unexplainable. A hostile teen takeover also proves to be far-fetched, but is explained in a way to make it somewhat believable and possible. There are also too many convenient situations, the secret tunnels known only to Ariel and Sera, the distant, but secretly loving father, and the similar-looking new best friend who is killed instead. The aftermath is also surprisingly anticlimactic. Some are institutionalized, some see psychologists, and others are basically fine. All are explained as a footnote, rather than exploring the complicated realities of being a hostage. The most satisfying ending is between Sera and the pop star.
Reader’s Annotation
Sera and Ariel were best friends until Sera betrayed Ariel. Then, a horrific night leaves both of them having to trust one another if they want to get out alive.
About the Author
Daphne Benedis-Grab has written two novels for young adults. Her first, Alive and Well in Prague, New York, was her thesis for graduate school at The New School. The basis for the book came from her experiences of her terminally ill father. The Girl in the Wall was originally just a fun project that turned into a full young adult novel. In between the two books, Benedis-Grab wrote books for hire under pen names.
Benedis-Grab grew up in New York State. During middle school, she decided to be an author. She nurtured her writing skills by journaling daily and writing soap opera-type stories with her best friend. While in high school, hanging out with friends became more important, and then Benedis-Grab majored in history in college. After graduating, she taught English in China, built houses in Georgia, waitressed in Boston, and tutored in San Francisco. Benedis-Grab returned to New York and was studying theology in graduate school. After reading a book she looked at The New School, saw there was a Masters of Fine Arts with an emphasis on children, and applied. She now lives in New York with her husband, two children, and cat.
Genre
Suspense/Thriller
Curriculum Ties
N/A
Booktalking
Things to do with secret tunnels running through your house, what about hiding from a murder?
Reading Level/Interest Level
RL: 6th grade
IL: 8th grade and up
Challenge Issues
Possible challenge issues include kidnapping, traitorous adults, and a deadly battle between kidnappers and high school students.
In my defense file, I would include the following:
1) Library Mission Statement
2) Library Selection Policy approved by any or all of the following individuals—principal, school board, district librarian OR library manager, city council, mayor.
3) Library Bill of Rights adapted from CSLA Bill of Rights, AASL Bill of Rights and/or ALA Bill of Rights
4) Reviews, both positive and critical, from respected sources such as School Library Journal, VOYA, Booklist
5) Rationale for book inclusion for titles anticipated to be controversial, frequently challenged, or created when a book is challenged including: summary, audience, purpose, controversial issues and how they are handled
6) How the book fits within Common Core Standards or State Standards
7) Reconsideration form for challenger to complete—include a section asking which part was of particular concern, if the entire book was read, and what other similar titles are suggested instead
8) Student reviews from those who have read the book and either enjoyed or disliked the book and why.
Why Included
My mother received the book in the mail from a promotion, and as it was young adult I decided to try it.
Others in the Series
N/A
References
Benedis-Grab, D. (2013) About me. Retrieved from http://www.daphnebg.com/about-me
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