Girl, Missing is a story about Lauren, a fourteen year old, who lives in London with her parents. She knows she is adopted, and when she is forced to deliberate on "Who am I?" as part of her school homework, her curiosity in her past increases threefold.
Logging on to a website, Missing-Children.com, she finds an American girl who went missing a couple of months prior to her adoption. The photograph resembles her, but, Lauren isn't sure. Her foster parents are refusing to disclose any information as she isn't old enough, but Lauren is desperate to find out more about where she comes from. And - did her parents kidnap her from the American family? Has she even been kidnapped?
This is a quick easy read, full of suspense and mystery. Yet, my major gripe with this book is a result of the coincidental nature of the events - how things conveniently happen in a certain way, against all odds. Major episodes in the book are superficial and lack the detail that would make them realistic. On the other hand, some things aren't realistic at all. Maybe that's a price to pay for children's books?
The story does bring up some interesting points regarding adoption, and the need to know more about where one comes from. It also touches upon some of the issues with adoptions - specially closed adoptions - and how, occasionally innocent people become a victim of circumstance.
Do you find books for children/young adults occasionally lacking depth? Are there any other books on adoption and adoptive parents that you'd recommend? I find the psychology surrounding adoption most intriguing.
Rating : C