The Hideout

by Eve Bunting, Greg Shed (Illustrator)

Overview

Twelve-year-old Andy feels he would be better off with his father in England than in his San Francisco home with his mother and her new husband. To raise the money needed to finance his trip to England, he stages his own kidnapping, but the plan backfires when someone decides to make the kidnapping a reality. “A common family situation becomes action-filled drama in Bunting’s capable hands.”—Booklist

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780152339913
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	05/01/1993
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	4.19(w) x 6.88(h) x (d)
Lexile:	690L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Eve Bunting was the beloved, award-winning author of more than two hundred and fifty books for young people, including the Caldecott Medal-winning Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, The Wall, Fly Away Home, and Train to Somewhere.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 5-7-- Resentful of his stepfather, Paul, 12-year-old Andy runs away from home, finds a hotel key by chance, and moves into a plush suite. Since it is seldom occupied, it seems an ideal hideout--until the unpredictable hotel staff threaten his security. After several close calls, Andy is discovered, then kidnapped, and ultimately rescued by Paul and the police. Chastened by the harrowing experience, Andy regrets not only his actions but also his attitude toward a man who obviously cares for him. The novel has elements of Bunting's Is Anybody There? (Lippincott, 1988), including the illicit use of a key, a hideaway, and a boy too scared to sleep at night, but the overall plot is less plausible. However, the involving first-person narrative and the mounting tension offset the unlikely events. Andy's character--his jealousy of Paul and fear of discovery--is vividly portrayed. Those who like light mysteries should find this easy-to-read, moderately suspenseful story satisfying. --Pat Katka, San Diego Public Library

School Library Journal

THE HIDEOUT is a story that kids can relate to. Twelve-year-old Andy doesn't like his new stepdad and misses his natural father, who wants little to do with him. He decides to run away and takes shelter in a nearby luxury hotel's seldom used penthouse. He has some nice and harrowing experiences, which literally and figuratively help him to grow up and appreciate what he has left behind. Johnny Heller is super at portraying the young boy with his swiftly changing emotions. He effectively presents the differences in an elderly couple who befriend the boy and the tough hotel employee who makes Andy's fears come true. The fine story is enhanced by the narration, which brings to life the many thoughts, fears and feelings shared by young people and their parents. S.G.B. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

FEB/MAR 00 - AudioFile