Poetry: Hidden

Hidden

By Helen Frost

Frost, Helen. Hidden. New York City, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2011. 9780374382216

Plot Summary

Wren Abbott sits in the car, waiting on her mother, when suddenly a shot rings out. She dives into the back of the car to hide as a man gets in and drives away. She stays hidden as he drives to his house. She eventually ventures out and decides to hide in a boat in the garage. Meanwhile, the man's wife and daughter become concerned about reports of a missing child. The daughter, Darra Weston, goes into the garage to look for her. Though she does not see Wren, she feels her in the boat and decides to sneak her some food. After two nights, Wren escapes and Darra watches as her father is taken into custody for the alleged kidnapping. Six years pass and the girls arrive at the same summer camp. After avoiding each other for much of the first week, they are forced to interact during a game of Drown Last. Darra, who has blamed Wren for her father's incarceration for all of these years, is held underwater by Wren, who still holds onto some of the trauma she experienced. The girls finally break free of each other and realize that they were both left hurting after "you know. what happened". They become friends and develop and understanding for each other's side of the story. The story ends with Darra introducing her "friend" Wren Abbott to her mother.

Analysis

Helen Frost has expanded the definition of the novel in verse in this story about self-growth and friendship. The story switches back and forth from Wren and Darra's perspectives; Wren's perspective is in free verse and Darra's perspective is in a new style that was invented for this novel. Darra's perspective is written in longer sentences, and Frost has included hidden words at the end of the longest sentences on each page. The last word of the longest sentences in Darra's first poems read, "Dad used to have a job making parts of cars". Frost details in her book that she made this decision to give further insight into Darra's story. This adds depth to the story that was previously unnoticed until I read the author's note at the end of the book. The poetry used in this book invokes emotion, both positive and negative, as readers learn more about Wren's fears that haunt her and how Darra's life was affected by "what happened". Frost has italicized the words that the girls speak out loud, so this book feels like an inner diary, exposing their thoughts and feelings to the reader. Readers connect with these characters because they see them so clearly in the words and the format of the story.

One reviewer from Kirkus Reviews wrote, "From the award-winning Frost comes a wildly imaginative, thought-provoking novel in verse that centers on the unlikely friendship that arises between two teenage girls as a result of an accidental kidnapping ... Both tender and insightful, this well-crafted, fast-paced tale should have wide teen appeal."

“HIDDEN.” 2011. Kirkus Reviews 79 (7): 589–90. https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.twu.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=brd&AN=60171316&site=ehost-live.

Awards

William Allan White Award—2014 Winner, Kansas, grades 6-8

Lee Bennett Hopkins Children’s Poetry Award, Honor book

ALA Notable Book

CCBC Choices

Bank Street Best Children’s Books, Starred

2012 IRA (International Reading Association) Teachers’ Choices

VOYA’s “Perfect 10” List

Kirkus Review’s Best Children’s books of 2011

Fuse #8 (School Library Journal)

“100 Magnificent Children’s Books of 2011”

Richie Partington’s “Best of 2011” list

Sylvia Vardell’s “Top 20 Children’s Poetry Books of 2011”

Paul Hankin’s “Top ten plus 1” list of 2011 Middle Grade Fiction

Lists

2016 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award (Illinois)

2013-2014 Young Hoosier Book Award, Indiana

2014 New York State Reading Association’s Charlotte Award

2013-2014 Virginia Reader’s Choice

2013-2014 Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards

2013-14  Georgia Book Award

2014 Louisiana Young Readers’ Choice

2013-2014 Mark Twain Readers Award, Missouri

2012-2013 Maine Student Book Awards

2012 – 2013 Vermont: Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award

2012 Texas Lone Star Reading List (middle school)

2012 – 2013 Maryland: Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (grades 6-9)

Connections

For other books about growing up, emotions, and friendship, try:

Wolf, Jennifer Shaw: Dead Girls Don't Lie. 9780802737533.

Gephart, Donna: Lily and Dunkin. 9780553536775.

Van Draanen, Wendelin: Flipped. 9780375825446