Gemma

The descriptions of Gemma's abuse are graphic -- and can be agonizing to read. It's frightening to enter the mind of the abuser, but it's necessary for adults to get an unvarnished view of what child sexual abuse is. This is a subject that author Meg Tilly, sadly, knows well from first-hand experience. Meg Tilly has woven a tale that delicately balances the terrible rawness of abuse with an uplifting story. After Hazen Wood kidnaps twelve-year-old Gemma Sullivan, the two embark on a journey that tests the limits of young Gemma's endurance. When Gemma tries to escape, Hazen drags her back and threatens her even more. It is only Gemma's resilience and fertile imagination that protect her from the worst of the trauma she suffers. And, finally, it's the power of unconditional love that gives her the courage to speak out and claim the life she deserves.