Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee

Gr 8 Up—When Amy is 10 and her cousin Dee is 12, they are kidnapped by a man named Kyle. Now at 16, Amy shows up at home, without Dee, revealing limited information about what has happened over the past six years. While Amy is acclimating to "normal" life, her cousin and Dee's sister, Lee, befriends her and helps her adjust. All the while, Amy has blackouts that draw her into flashbacks of her time with Kyle. As the narrative unfolds, more is revealed about Amy and Dee's story in a style that blends past and present. Kyle is obsessed with dolls and renames Amy and Dee "Chelsea" and "Stacie," respectively. Amy was never supposed to be kidnapped. Dee is raped repeatedly and bears two daughters, Lola and Barbie. As time goes on, Dee shrinks inside of herself and, without a competent parent or adult around, Amy has to step up to be mother and father to the girls. Amy struggles to come to terms with the life that she left behind. This is not a tale about Stockholm syndrome but rather a work about a girl who was kidnapped and has to unlearn the things she was led to believe by her kidnapper. Thompson tells a story that is raw without being overly graphic.