You Are My Only

Gr 7—10—From the opening lines voiced by 14-year-old Sophie Marks, readers will know that something about her reclusive life is definitely wrong. Homeschooled by a mother obsessed with order, who keeps them moving to avoid the "No Good," Sophie disobeys instructions to stay hidden and makes contact with Joey, the boy next door, and the two old women who care for him. Her chapters alternate with those narrated by Emmy Rane, a young mother whose baby is kidnapped during the few minutes she goes inside for a blanket. Her husband's accusations and police suspicions about Emmy's erratic behavior lead to her incarceration in a mental hospital. Drawn into the warmth of Joey's unconventional family, Sophie gains courage to challenge her mother's prohibitions and uncovers the truth of her past. The dual narratives reveal losses that all of the characters have suffered. Miss Cloris and Miss Helen abandoned their plans of travel and adventure to care for Joey after the death of his family. Even the kidnapper acted from a twisted logic of loss. Although Emmy's and Sophie's stories converge in a reunion, the future remains uncertain. Kephart ably creates two distinct voices. Emmy's fragile mental state includes flashbacks to her own childhood and fragmented accounts of her frantic search for Baby. Sophie's account of the love and perseverance of Joey's family bolsters her own resolve for a different life. Readers will hope that the open ending can include room for them in Sophie's future. An evocative exploration of many forms of loss and survival.—Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato