The One Left Behind » (Reprint)

Willo Davis Roberts wrote many books for adults and children during

her long and illustrious career. Three of her children's books won Edgar

Awards, while others received great reviews and other accolades. The

One Left Behind would have been her hundredth book for children.

Mandy awoke in darkness. For a moment she didn't remember that Angel was gone, that she would not be coming back, and then the pain hit her like a physical blow.

For the first time in her eleven years, Mandy is alone. Through a series of miscommunications, her entire family has left her by herself in their big house on Lake Michigan. But it's the absence of her twin sister, Angel, that she feels the most. One year ago Angel died, and Mandy's life has been at a standstill ever since. While the rest of her family has moved on, Mandy still clings to the pain of her loss.

At first, Mandy is almost relieved to have the time to herself. But quickly the loneliness consumes her -- until she stumbles upon two boys, one her age, the other not yet two, who are also on their own. Running away from men who wish to do them harm, the boys turn to Mandy for help. But what can she do for these boys when she can barely take care of herself? If only Angel were here, she would know what to do.

But Angel isn't here, and Mandy can't let the men hurt these boys. So she takes them in, and in turn, makes a remarkable discovery about herself, her sister, and the very special bond they shared.

Kathleen Isaacs - Children's Literature

Still missing the twin who died almost a year before, eleven-year-old Mandy feels even more alone when her entire family—parents and five older brothers—accidentally leave her by herself for a weekend, each thinking she has gone somewhere with someone else. A nighttime intruder leaves behind telltale clues. When she goes looking for the person who ate their cereal and peanut butter, she comes across a wrecked car, and then two boys hiding in a deserted cottage on the Lake Michigan shore. Suddenly she is in the middle of a kidnapping plot, and the kidnappers are threatening her, too. This posthumously published mystery by a three-time Edgar award winner builds suspense quickly and provides plenty of scary moments for the upper elementary school reader. If the resolution depends a little too much on a friendly dog with a taste for peanut butter, they will not mind. Mandy's family includes a harmless schizophrenic uncle whose habit of talking to himself makes Mandy wonder if her own habit of talking to her dead sister is a problem. Fortunately, her habit helps her think quickly and provides the courage she needs to get through a dangerous situation. Satisfying genre fiction. 2006, Atheneum, Ages 8 to 12.