You Are My Only

Kephart (Dangerous Neighbors) writes a psychologically taut novel, juxtaposing the thoughts of Sophie, a teen kidnapped during her infancy, and her grieving birthmother, Emmy, who is institutionalized after a breakdown. For as long as she can remember, Sophie has led the life of a prisoner, homeschooled and homebound by a frail woman she believes to be her mother; she has no idea how much Emmy has loved her and missed her. Then, gazing out an attic window—Sophie’s only connection to the outside world—she sees a boy, and when she finds the courage to step outside her sheltered world to meet him, she finds a friend that she can trust. Succinct, emotionally packed chapters capture similarities between mother and daughter, the depth of their despair, their common desire to be free, and their poetic vision of the world. As Sophie begins to find clues about her captor’s secret past, readers will be on the edge of their seats waiting for the inevitable, liberating moment that will change the course of the lives of both mother and daughter. Ages 12–up. (Oct.)