Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://marygthompson.com
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
RESEARCHER NOTES:
LC control no.:
n 2011059376
LCCN Permalink:
https://lccn.loc.gov/n2011059376
HEADING:
Thompson, Mary G. (Mary Gloria), 1978-
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1_ |a Thompson, Mary G. |q (Mary Gloria), |d 1978-
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__ |a Wuftoom, 2012: |b ecip t.p. (Mary G. Thompson)
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__ |a Email from pub., Aug. 29, 2011 |b (full name: Mary Gloria Thompson; born Nov. 21, 1978)
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PERSONAL
Born November 21, 1978, in OR.
EDUCATION:Boston University, B.A., 1999; University of Oregon School of Law, J.D., 2002; New School, M.F.A., 2012; St. John’s University, M.S.L.I.S., 2014.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, attorney, and librarian. U.S. Navy JAG Corps, legal intern, 2001, defense and legal assistance attorney, 2003-05, trial counsel/command judge advocate, 2005-07; Law Offices of Eric F. Fagan, San Diego, CA, attorney, 2007-08; Grady and Associates, San Diego, attorney, 2008-09; Kenyon & Kenyon LLP, library intern, 2013; New York Law School, New York, NY, library intern, 2013; White & Chase LLP, archivist, 2013-14; freelance copy editor, 2010-15; Department of the Navy, special collections reference librarian, 2015; Department of Justice Antitrust Division, law librarian, 2015–.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
Mary G. Thompson is an attorney and librarian. She completed undergraduate studies at Boston University before entering the University of Oregon School of Law for her J.D. She also received a master of fine arts (with a focus on writing for children) from the New School and a master’s in library science from St. John’s University. Before becoming a writer, Thompson worked as an attorney, archivist, copy editor, and reference librarian. She is employed at the Department of Justice Antitrust Division in Washington, DC, as a law librarian. Thompson described to an interviewer at the Author Turf Web site how she came to write children’s fantasy: “I often find contemporary realistic fiction boring as a reader, because I already know way too much about real life. I love speculating about ‘what if.'”
Thompson released her first children’s book, Wuftoom, in 2012. Seventh-grader Evan has spent two years ill in bed. In fact, however, he is not really ill but rather transforming into a wormlike beast. He knows this because he is visited regularly by the Wuftoom, who tells Evan that he is becoming one of his kind. Daniel Krauss, writing in Booklist, called the first half of the tale “shocking, repulsive, and heart-wrenching.” Once Evan becomes one of the creatures, he takes off on an adventure with the Vitflys, enemies of the Wuftoom. They have forced him to come to their aid by taking his mother hostage. Krauss dubbed this part of the story “at the very least impressively unappetizing and absolutely unique.” A critic in Publishers Weekly called the book a “wildly imaginative debut” and a “tale to jolt readers out of their complacency.” A contributor to Kirkus Reviews found the tale unappealing, asserting that it was “unclear if the author meant to pen a Metamorphosis for kids or a creepy horror story.”
In Escape from the Pipe Men! teen Ryan Hawthorn and his sister, Becky, go on a space adventure in search of an antidote for the poison that has been accidentally given to their father. Along the way they are pitted against the Pipe Men, who are scouring planets to acquire their resources and kidnap people but are, indeed, not very fearful creatures. Marla Unruh, reviewing the book for Voice of Youth Advocates, commented, “Serious or silly? This story cannot quite decide.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor agreed, adding that the story ends up an “unfunny mess.” In a review at the Horn Book Guide Online, a critic called the story line “surprising” and “hilarious” and recommended it to “fans of Madeleine L’Engle.”
In Thompson’s next book, Evil Fairies Love Hair, middle-schooler Alison Butler and her friends yearn to have their wishes come true. To this end, Ali signs a contract that requires her to raise one hundred fairies in exchange for one wish. She must pass along starter fairies to other children, for them to grow as well. Oddly, the fairies eat hair. A critic in Kirkus Reviews noted that “as Ali and other kids unearth the fairies’ identities and unsavory plan, magical rules shift and sway almost improvisationally.” The critic recommended the book to readers who “relish all things icky.” Sarah Rachel Egelman, contributor to the KidsReads Web site, called Thompson’s tale “inventive and her ideas interesting” but thought that the “narrative lacks clarity.”
In her fourth book, Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee, Thompson addresses a more serious topic: kidnapping. Amy has returned home after her abduction six years ago, but her cousin Dee has not. The story of the kidnapping is pieced together through flashbacks, but Amy refuses to reveal the details. At her blog, Kate Ormand called the book “completely unputdownable.” Thompson described to Ormand the process of writing her first thriller: “I knew it was working when I started getting that feeling that the book was sort of writing itself.” In Voice of Youth Advocates, Debbie Wenk praised the story, saying that it “bravely breaches touchy subjects such as kidnapping, insanity, and rape.” She concluded that anyone “interested in forensics, psychology, and family relations should definitely check out this powerful and well-written” tale. An online contributor to Teenreads termed this a “riveting, affecting story of loss and hope.” Krista Hutley, writing in Booklist, characterized the book as a “traumatic, psychologically taut novel” and praised the narration for its “immediacy and intimacy” and for ultimately offering a “hopeful resolution.” A reviewer in Publishers Weekly observed, “Thompson expertly builds the novel’s tension . . . to a bittersweet, satisfying conclusion.”
Thompson’s latest offering is Flicker and Mist. The novel’s main character, Myra, has the ability, inherited from her mother, to “flicker,” or become invisible. Not everyone can do so. Those who can are known as Flickerins, and they are seen as suspicious by the Plats, who rule this world and persecute the Flickerins. As the story unfolds, Myra, involved in a budding relationship with the leader’s son, finds herself divided in her loyalties. Debbie Carton, reviewer in Booklist, called attention to the themes of “political corruption, racial profiling, and social justice” in this fantasy tale and applauded the “imaginative descriptions.” A Kirkus Reviews correspondent commented that this story concerning “mixed heritage and divided loyalties with an engaging heroine will appeal to fans of character-driven fantasy.” A reviewer at Teenreads noted the “rich and suspenseful narrative in this powerful YA fantasy.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, May 1, 2012, Daniel Krauss, review of Wuftoom; September 15, 2016, Krista Hutley, review of Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee, p. 51; November 1, 2016, Debbie Carton, review of Flicker and Mist, p. 56.
Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2012, review of Wuftoom; May 1, 2013, review of Escape from the Pipe Men!; June 1, 2014, review of Evil Fairies Love Hair; October 1, 2016, review of Flicker and Mist.
Publishers Weekly, April 23, 2012, review of Wuftoom, p. 55; August 15, 2016, review of Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee, p. 75.
Voice of Youth Advocates, December, 2011, Stacey Hayman, review of Wuftoom; August, 2013, Marla Unruh, review of Escape from the Pipe Men!, p. 85; October, 2016, Debbie Wenk, review of Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee, p. 70.
ONLINE
Author Turf, http://authorturf.com/ (April 4, 2014), author interview.
Horn Book Guide Online, http://www.hornbookguide.com/ (May 29, 2017), review of Escape from the Pipe Men!
Kate Ormand Web site, https://kateormand.com/ (March 7, 2017), author interview.
KidsRead, http://www.kidsreads.com/ (August 13, 2014), Sarah Rachel Egelman, review of Evil Fairies Love Hair.
Mary G. Thompson Home Page, http://marygthompson.com (May 29, 2017).
Teenreads, http://www.teenreads.com (May 29, 2017), reviews of Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee and Flicker and Mist.
About Mary G. Thompson
Mary G. Thompson was raised in Cottage Grove and Eugene, Oregon. She was a practicing attorney for more than seven years, including almost five years in the US Navy, and is now a law librarian in Washington, DC. She received her BA from Boston University, her JD from the University of Oregon, and her MFA in Writing for Children from The New School.
Mary G. Thompson was raised in Cottage Grove and Eugene, OR. She was a practicing attorney for more than seven years, including almost five years in the US Navy, and is now a law librarian in Washington, DC. She received her BA from Boston University, her JD from the University of Oregon, and her MFA in Writing for Children from The New School.
==
ABOUT AMY CHELSEA STACIE DEE
A bittersweet homecoming holds dark secrets in this heart-wrenching story of loss, love, and survival for readers of Room
When sixteen-year-old Amy returns home, she can’t tell her family what’s happened to her. She can’t tell them where she’s been since she and her best friend, her cousin Dee, were kidnapped six years ago—who stole them from their families or what’s become of Dee. She has to stay silent because she’s afraid of what might happen next, and she’s desperate to protect her secrets at any cost.
Amy tries to readjust to life at “home,” but nothing she does feels right. She’s a stranger in her own family, and the guilt that she’s the one who returned is insurmountable. Amy soon realizes that keeping secrets won’t change what’s happened, and they may end up hurting those she loves the most. She has to go back in order to move forward, risking everything along the way. Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee is a riveting, affecting story of loss and hope.
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ABOUT MARY G. THOMPSON
Mary G. Thompson was raised in Cottage Grove and Eugene, Oregon. She was a practicing attorney for more than seven years, including almost five years in the US Navy, and is now a law librarian in Washington, DC. She received… More about Mary G. Thompson
PRODUCT DETAILS
Hardcover | $17.99
Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Oct 11, 2016 | 304 Pages | 5-1/2 x 8-1/4 | Young Adult | ISBN 9781101996805
INTERVIEWS & GUEST POSTS, READING
Interview with Mary G Thompson, Author of AMY CHELSEA STACIE DEE
Posted by KATEORMAND on MARCH 7, 2017
I’m pleased to welcome Mary G Thompson to talk about her new YA thriller with Chicken House, Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee. I was so impressed by this book – It was completely unputdownable. It’s out now, so be sure to look out for it if you’re a fan of the genre!
Kate Ormand: Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee had me glued to its pages. Can you tell us a little about your experience writing the book?
Mary G Thompson: This was a new thing for me because all of my previous books were fantasy, and this was also my first time writing what could be described as a thriller or a mystery. I knew it was working when I started getting that feeling that the book was sort of writing itself. I knew from the beginning what had just happened to Amy, which isn’t revealed until the end of the book, and then the rest of the story felt inevitable. It’s a great feeling to have and one I hope to recapture for future books!
KO: Can you give us a breakdown of how the cover fits the story?
MGT: My first image of Amy was of her getting off of the bus while carrying the doll. Later, we learn that the kidnapper used dolls to represent Amy and Dee and is generally obsessed with his idea of the girls as less than human. Yet, Amy carries the doll with love because it represents the cousin she’s left behind. Amy’s feelings about the dolls and whether or not they represent Dee and herself are a major source of growth for the character. She has to come to terms with her own human imperfections if she wants to embrace the humanity the kidnapper wanted to take away.
KO: Fans of which books/tv shows would you recommend Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee to?
MGT: This book is probably for people who like their books gritty and realistic, and for a people who like a bit of a mystery. If you like survival stories, you will like this!
KO: It’s definitely a book that sticks with you long after finishing. What do you hope readers will take away from the story?
MGT: This story is all about survival. Amy learns that not only is it okay to survive, it is good. None of us should be ashamed of taking care of ourselves and those we love even if we can’t be perfect. It is okay to suffer after experiencing a trauma, and there’s no shame in the process of recovery. Most of us, thankfully, will never experience something like this, but we all will have to choose how to take care of ourselves at some point. We all have to forgive ourselves for not being able to control everything. But it is possible to stay true to ourselves and survive even in the most difficult circumstances.
KO: And to wrap up can we end with a quote from Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee?
MGT: From page 54:‘Never get in the car. That’s what they tell you. Once you get in the car, you’re dead. They used to teach us that at school. How you shouldn’t talk to strangers. How if a car drives up alongside you, you turn and walk in the other direction. But whoever taught us that never had someone threatening their best friend with a knife.
I could have run away.
And then my mom would never have gone through this. And my parents would still be together. And Jay would only hate me the normal way a brother hates a sister, and he would secretly love me.’
Amy Chelsea Stacie DeeAuthor InterviewBooksChicken HouseMary G ThompsonReadingYA
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Print Marked Items
The Hate U Give/Flicker and Mist
April Spisak
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 70.7 (Mar. 2017): p337. From Book Review Index Plus.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Spisak, April. "The Hate U Give/Flicker and Mist." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Mar. 2017, p. 337.
PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA489018602&it=r&asid=129ccc46da22273028e56dc0792b4568. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A489018602
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Flicker and Mist
Debbie Carton
Booklist.
113.5 (Nov. 1, 2016): p56. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Flicker and Mist. By Mary G. Thompson. Jan. 2017.384p. Clarion, $17.99 (9780544648401). Gr. 8-11.
Thompson brings political corruption, racial profiling, and social justice to the forefront of this fast-paced fantasy, with just enough romance to provide a comfortable backdrop. Myra is half high-ranked Plat and half lower-class Leftie, with the hidden talent of Flickering (the ability to become invisible). She looks very different than her Plat friends, but she has always enjoyed the privileges granted by her father's job as Council Member and is on her way to winning the annual wetbeast race (an equestrian competition). But when terrorist acts by Flickering upset her comfortable world, Myra must choose between a budding romance with the Deputy's son and loyalty to her mother's oppressed kin. It's easy to recognize our own current events in Thompson's fantasy world, though there are plenty of distinctive touches that make it much more than an allegory. Thompson's imaginative descriptions of Flickering, the close bond between wetbeast and rider, and the sea-centered rituals of the island people combine to create a unique fantasy world with a rich history.--Debbie Carton
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Carton, Debbie. "Flicker and Mist." Booklist, 1 Nov. 2016, p. 56. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA471142932&it=r&asid=bdbef896e5bba922d8d3478a741d72a8 Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A471142932
.
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Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee
Karen Coats
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. 70.3 (Nov. 2016): p150. From Book Review Index Plus.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Coats, Karen. "Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Nov. 2016, p. 150.
PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA478903798&it=r&asid=33be207e33983f241c165b8b8b80d537. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A478903798
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Mary G. Thompson: FLICKER AND MIST
Kirkus Reviews.
(Oct. 1, 2016): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Mary G. Thompson FLICKER AND MIST Clarion (Adult Fiction) 17.99 ISBN: 978-0-544-64840-1
Myra has inherited her Leftie mothers Ability to become invisible, called flickering, but using it would endanger her high-profile, mixed-blood family.Living among Plats in New Heart City, Myra stands out, her looks more Leftie (short, fair-skinned, curvy) than Plat (tall, dark, thin), like her father or her friend Porti. (Lefties, lower-caste noncitizens, live mainly in the remote Left Eye.) Portis friendship opens doors for Myra and facilitates her romance with the ruling Deputys son. The girls anticipate competing in the annual Games, riding wetbeasts through an obstacle course. When its announced that all Lefties must be tested for the Ability, Myras mother, fearing exposure, wants to flee but fatefully agrees to wait until Myra competes. The narrative suffers from sketchy worldbuilding. Is the Upland island or continent? Why are Upland regions named for body parts as seen from above? Are the venerated Waters sentient? Fantasy neednt adhere to real-world laws, but readers need guidancelacking hereto the rules governing the created world if theyre to navigate it. Characterization is more successful. Myra especially sustains interest, struggling to master her own competitiveness, unsure shes worthy of Portis generous, loyal friendship. Myras fraught relationship with her mother rings true, as does her sense of her parents tense, mysterious bond that produced yet excludes her. This tale of mixed heritage and divided loyalties with an engaging heroine will appeal to fans of character-driven fantasy. (Fantasy. 12-16)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Mary G. Thompson: FLICKER AND MIST." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2016. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA465181931&it=r&asid=ca82a946e9d96e2eeddbaa13ac923f86. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A465181931
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Thompson, Mary G.: Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee
Debbie Wenk and Sarah Phillips
Voice of Youth Advocates.
39.4 (Oct. 2016): p70. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2016 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
3Q * 4P * J * S
Thompson, Mary G. Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee. Putnam/Penguin Random House, 2016. 304p. $17.99. 978-1-101- 99680-5.
Sixteen-year-old Amy returns home six years after her abduction. She and her cousin Dee were taken by Kyle as they were returning from an outing on the river. Amy was ten and Dee was twelve. Amy's family is thrilled that she is alive and home safe, but their many questions linger: Where is Dee? Is she alive? Where were they taken? Amy is unable to bring herself to satisfy them and struggles to not only fit back into her family, but to do the right thing, knowing there are consequences no matter what she chooses to tell or not to tell. Their kidnapper was a giant of a man with an unnatural attraction to dolls--he even renamed the girls after two of his dolls. Amy became Chelsea and Dee became Stacie, and he punished Amy if she did not use the names he assigned.
The story of Amy and Dee's kidnapping and their time in captivity is told in flashbacks interspersed with the story of Amy's attempts to fit back into her old life. While at times frustrating, this device actually works to move the story along nicely and gives the reader a break from the disturbing conditions during their captivity The details are not especially graphic, but disturbing nonetheless. Readers can feel Amy's inner conflict about whether to reveal all or not, and will pull for her to do the right thing. The close relationship that the cousins enjoyed before their kidnapping is made evident even though the character of Stacie/Dee remains a little vague. Teens who relish abduction stories will be most satisfied with this book. --Debbie Wenk.
Although mildly disturbing, this story bravely breaches touchy subjects such as kidnapping, insanity, and rape. Amy's story is not pleasant, but it offers perspective into the lives of those who have been subject to kidnapping and have had to deal with its effects. Readers who have gone through traumatic events should be warned, as there may be triggers within the book. Anyone interested in forensics, psychology, and family relations should definitely check out this powerful and well-written story that draws readers in page by page. 4Q, 3P.
--Sarah Phillips, Teen Reviewer.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Wenk, Debbie, and Sarah Phillips. "Thompson, Mary G.: Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee." Voice of Youth Advocates, Oct.
2016, p. 70+. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA467831136&it=r&asid=4851777148e0ea650ff331c4fc17616b. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A467831136
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Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee
Krista Hutley
Booklist.
113.2 (Sept. 15, 2016): p51. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee. By Mary G. Thompson. Oct. 2016. 304p. Putnam, $17.99 (9781101996805). Gr. 10-12.
Six years after two preteen girls are abducted, only one returns in this traumatic, psychologically taut novel. Sixteen- year-old Amy arrives shell-shocked at her home without an explanation as to where she was, how she escaped, and what happened to her cousin Dee, who disappeared the same day. Amy struggles to readjust to a "normal" life, where her name is no longer Chelsea, and where her parents are no longer together. Though she knows what happened to Dee, who she still thinks of as Stacie, and her aunt demands answers, Amy can't tell without risking two other lives. Amy narrates in a tight first person, moving between past and present, giving her story immediacy and intimacy. The details of the girls' harrowing experiences with their kidnapper, Kyle, a childlike adult prone to frequent rages, are revealed slowly, with explicitness but without sensationalism, building to an unrelentingly tense (though occasionally implausible) climactic confrontation. Thompson deals honestly with the guilt and grief of Amy and her family, and, though grim, this tearjerker has a welcome, hopeful resolution. --Krista Hutley
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Hutley, Krista. "Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee." Booklist, 15 Sept. 2016, p. 51. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA464980925&it=r&asid=f6ca3917690156351ddfb9d9ad719f09. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A464980925
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Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee
Publishers Weekly.
263.33 (Aug. 15, 2016): p75. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2016 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee
Mary G. Thompson. Putnam, $17.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-101-99680-5
This gripping thriller from Thompson (Evil Fairies Love Hair) explores the aftermath of a shocking crime through the eyes of one of its survivors. Amy MacArthur was only 10 when she and her 12-year-old cousin, Dee, were kidnapped by a man named Kyle while playing by the river in their Oregon town. Now Amy is 16, and she has come home without Dee. It's not the home she left: her parents are divorced, her younger brother can hardly look her in the eye, and her Aunt Hannah is frantic for news about Dee. Dee's sister, Lee, takes Amy under her wing, and as Amy rediscovers how to live again, she gradually shares the story of the girls' captivity. As the reason for Amy's silence becomes horrifyingly clear, it proves increasingly difficult for her to hide the truth of Dee's fate. Amy and Dee's story is unthinkable, and their bond and struggle to survive is heart-wrenching. Thompson expertly builds the novel's tension to an unbearable pitch as she guides readers to a bittersweet, satisfying conclusion. Ages 14--up. Agent: Kate McKean, Howard Morhaim Literary. (Oct.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee." Publishers Weekly, 15 Aug. 2016, p. 75. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA461444619&it=r&asid=3ae107fa119bdd74157687d5f37968eb. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A461444619
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Thompson, Mary G.: EVIL FAIRIES LOVE HAIR
Kirkus Reviews.
(June 1, 2014): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2014 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Thompson, Mary G. EVIL FAIRIES LOVE HAIR Clarion (Children's Fiction) $16.99 8, 5 ISBN: 978-0-547-85903-3
Evil fairies sure do love hair. To eat.Page 1 displays a contract in which Alison Butler promises to grow 100 fairies, pass on two flock-starters to another child and follow all the rules. In return, she'll receive one wish. Ali's hard at work growing those fairies in her backyard and raiding her house's shower drain for hair to feed them, while coiffing herself in a hair-sprayed bun for safety. Sure, a couple of kids in town have disappeared due to breach of fairy contract, but Ali intends to follow the rules. Although many of Thompson's ingredients are classic--the fairy contract; tricky rules that change along the way; kids knowing the truth while adults are oblivious--the unique details she mixes in make for a decidedly peculiar flavor. These 2-inch-tall fairies not only gobble human locks insatiably, but they can't stop murmuring the word "hair." As Ali and other kids unearth the fairies' identities and unsavory plan, magical rules shift and sway almost improvisationally. The text shows fairy speech printed in tiny font until Ali herself shrinks, at which point fairy speech is standard size while human speech enlarges. The uber-normalized small-town setting emphasizes families headed by both mom and dad, a hairdresser who's styled these kids their whole lives, and an unfriendly (eventually partly upended) implication that kids held back a grade are bullies and smokers. Possibly unpalatable for general magical-adventure fans but appealing to readers who relish all things icky. (Fantasy. 8-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Thompson, Mary G.: EVIL FAIRIES LOVE HAIR." Kirkus Reviews, 1 June 2014. PowerSearch,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA369549281&it=r&asid=40aae082e70ec6587610d51bb5d0cbf2. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A369549281
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Thompson, Mary G.: Escape from the Pipe Men!
Marla Unruh and Amber Brown
Voice of Youth Advocates.
36.3 (Aug. 2013): p85. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2013 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC http://www.voya.com
Full Text: 3Q * 3P * M
Thompson, Mary G. Escape from the Pipe Men! Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2013. 352p. $16.99. 978-0-547- 85905-7.
Ryan, his little sister Becky, and their parents do not spend much time in their house on Earth. They must pass through a portal to the Pipe Men's planetary zoo where they are on exhibit. When Dad is accidentally poisoned and lies near death, Morn sends Ryan and Becky out into the galaxy to obtain the antidote. Their journey is fraught with slippery passages, invisible portals, and weird creatures, some of whom are trustworthy and some of whom are not. As Ryan struggles to complete the mission, it is Becky who has an intuitive grasp of the situation and often fearlessly leads the way.
The bad guys in this story are the Pipe Men. They have been conquering planets in order to steal resources and kidnap inhabitants. As Ryan and Becky meet aliens on their journey, they realize they have a chance to not only obtain the antidote, but to help free other beings. This lofty-sounding concept is diminished, however, by character names such as Grav-e and Tast-e. Then, too, the feared Pipe Men can be easily toppled over by a push from one of the children. Serious or silly? This story cannot quite decide. For the younger teen who likes aliens from other worlds, recommend Ignatius MacFarland, Frequenaut by Paul Feig (Little, Brown, 2008/VOYA October 2008) for a more dynamic main character and believable villain.--Maria Unruh.
Escape from the Pipe Men! is a look into what some other planets and their habitants might be like. The plot of the children trying to save the day is good, but some of the characters are pretty far-fetched. This book would be enjoyable to someone with a great imagination. This book is for a young middle-school audience. 4Q, 3P.--Amber Brown, Teen Reviewer.
QUALITY
5Q Hard to imagine it being better written.
4Q Better than most, marred only by occasional lapses.
3Q Readable, without serious defects.
2Q Better editing or work by the author might have warranted a 3Q.
1Q Hard to understand how it got published, except in relation to its P rating (and most even then sometimes). POPULARITY
5P Every YA (who reads) was dying to read it yesterday.
4P Broad general or genre YA appeal.
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3P Will appeal with pushing.
2P For the YA reader with a special interest in the subject. 1P No YA will read unless forced to for assignments. GRADE LEVEL INTEREST
M Middle School (defined as grades 6-8).
J Junior High (defined as grades 7-9).
S Senior High (defined as grades 10-12).
A/YA Adult-marketed book recommended for YAs.
(a) Highlighted Reviews
(G) Graphic Novel Format
Unruh, Marla^Brown, Amber
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Unruh, Marla, and Amber Brown. "Thompson, Mary G.: Escape from the Pipe Men!" Voice of Youth Advocates, Aug.
2013, p. 85. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA339527735&it=r&asid=8f4da68366b0b98e71c209140da38218. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A339527735
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Thompson, Mary G.: ESCAPE FROM THE PIPE MEN!
Kirkus Reviews.
(May 1, 2013): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2013 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Thompson, Mary G. ESCAPE FROM THE PIPE MEN! Clarion (Children's Fiction) $16.99 6, 11 ISBN: 978-0-547- 85905-7
In this uneven space adventure, two children defy their alien overlords to go on an intergalactic search for a cure for their dying father. Ryan and Becky's parents have always taught them to respect and obey the family's secret alien benefactors, the Pipe Men. But when their father is accidentally poisoned and the Pipe Men refuse to release him for treatment, their mother sends them on an illicit journey through the Pipe Men's interplanetary portals to search for the Brocine, the aliens who have the only antidote. Before long, the children find themselves in the middle of a galactic power struggle over control of the portals. While the highly implausible worldbuilding doesn't stand up to close inspection, it does have a certain pulp appeal, and the detailed descriptions make it easy to visualize the different aliens that Ryan and Becky meet. Unfortunately, the novel can't decide whether it's taking itself seriously or not. Silly character names like "Grav-e" (pronounced "gravy") and "Tast-e" (pronounced "tasty") might have worked in a pure farce or parody, but Thompson is also using Ryan's earnest first-person narration to condemn the Pipe Men's exploitation of other alien races. Follow the title's advice--escape from the Pipe Men and avoid this unfunny mess. (Science fiction. 9-12)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Thompson, Mary G.: ESCAPE FROM THE PIPE MEN!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2013. PowerSearch,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA328141702&it=r&asid=d1bc319eabb69563e01c29783d393306. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A328141702
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Wuftoom
Daniel Kraus
Booklist.
108.17 (May 1, 2012): p107. From Book Review Index Plus.
COPYRIGHT 2012 American Library Association http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist_publications/booklist/booklist.cfm
Full Text:
Wuftoom. By Mary G. Thompson. May 2012. 256p. Clarion, $16.99 (9780547637242). Gr. 5-8.
And now for something completely different. Without preamble, debut author Thompson throws us into the nightmare of seventh-grader Evan, who has spent the past year in the darkness of his bedroom, rapidly metamorphosing into something hideous: membranes cover his face and hands, his lips are sewed shut with skin, and his inner organs have shifted and rearranged. Meanwhile, a disgusting worm-beast visits him at night to tell him that his transformation is nearly complete. It's shocking, repulsive, and heart-wrenching, and includes bedside scenes with Evans mother nearly on par with those in Patrick Ness' A Monster Calls (2011). What follows in the book's radically different second half is less successful, though you have to hand it to Thompson for keeping things weird. Evan becomes a wormlike Wuftoom--one of the superintelligent "dark creatures" that dwell underground--and soon is off on an adventure with his fellow worms to destroy a race of giant houseflies. Though lacking in the crushing moral quandaries of the book's beginning, it is at the very least impressively unappetizing and absolutely unique.--Daniel Kraus
Kraus, Daniel
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Kraus, Daniel. "Wuftoom." Booklist, 1 May 2012, p. 107. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA290066079&it=r&asid=924657c32ed1eddad83c821aae4a90dc. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A290066079
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Wuftoom
Publishers Weekly.
259.17 (Apr. 23, 2012): p55. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2012 PWxyz, LLC http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Wuftoom
Mary G. Thompson. Clarion, $16.99 (256p) ISBN 978-0-547-63724-2
In this wildly imaginative debut, Thompson creates a strange world of bizarre underground species at war with one another. Caught in the middle is Evan, a seventh-grader who has been slowly transforming into an inhuman creature ever since he stepped in a puddle of pink goo two years earlier. As he nears the end of his involuntary evolution into one of the amorphous, wormlike Wuftoom, he's recruited by the enigmatic Vitflies as a spy, a role he quickly comes to question. While Evan acclimates to his new nature and hungers, he's torn between loyalty to his new people and the life he left behind, forced to make a choice that could alter the balance of power underground. Dark and unsettling, Thompson's adventure presents a break from the same-old-same-old by creating something utterly new and weird-- sexy YA paranormal this is not. While some plot elements, such as Evan's body-swapping jaunts, feel under-explored, this is a tale to jolt readers out of their complacency, where characters change in unfamiliar ways with no guarantee of a happy ending. Ages 12-up. Agent: Kate McKean, Howard Morhaim Literary Agency. (May)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Wuftoom." Publishers Weekly, 23 Apr. 2012, p. 55. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA287867450&it=r&asid=33237405039d7fb9612265ca24547ea6. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A287867450
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Thompson, Mary G.: WUFTOOM
Kirkus Reviews.
(Mar. 1, 2012): From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2012 Kirkus Media LLC http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Thompson, Mary G. WUFTOOM Clarion (Children's Fiction) $16.99 5, 8 ISBN: 978-0-547-63724-2
In this unfulfilling fable, a young boy transforms into a worm and is thrust into a war against his will. Evan has been bedridden for two years with a disease that has caused him to become sensitive to light and his limbs to fuse. No doctor can cure him, because he's changing into a large grub called a Wuftoom. As he transforms, Evan is torn between the Wuftoom and their sworn enemies, the giant Vitflys, who want Evan to act as their spy among the worms. Once in their underground sewer camp, Evan must decide whether to betray the Wuftoom in order to save his mother, who is being held hostage by the Vitflys. While the unusual premise initially intrigues, Thompson's earnest tone quickly wears thin, and her worldbuilding is unconvincing. The origins of the Wuftoom are given scant explanation: "We have lived since the earliest men came to this place. No one knows how the first one appeared. But we spread through the greed of men." The legions of Wuftoom are mostly indistinguishable, and the rather tepid ending is equally disappointing. It's unclear if the author meant to pen a Metamorphosis for kids or a creepy horror story, but the resulting novel doesn't work as either. Squash this worm. (Fantasy. 12 & up)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Thompson, Mary G.: WUFTOOM." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2012. PowerSearch, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?
p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA281470197&it=r&asid=577c4edadd0860249fa746146a19321e Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A281470197
.
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Thompson, Mary G. Wuftoom
Stacey Hayman
Voice of Youth Advocates.
34.5 (Dec. 2011): p520. From Book Review Index Plus. COPYRIGHT 2011 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC http://www.voya.com
Full Text:
2Q * 3P * M Thompson, Mary G. Wuftoom. Clarion/ Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2012. 256p. $16.99. 978- 0547637242.
Evan's been "sick" since the start of sixth grade, and it's only gotten worse over the past two years. Despite six months in the hospital and constant doctor visits, he continues to morph into a creature most have never seen before. A worm- like bug, one of the Wuftoom, periodically comes through the bathroom tub drain to check on the progression of Evan's change; now it seems the final stage is close. Before the change is complete, Evan is approached by a member of the Vitflies, mortal enemies of the Wuftoom. The Vit wants Evan to betray the Wuftoom or Evan's mother will be killed and eaten by the Vits. Can Evan sacrifice his new family to save his Mom?
The strange, complex world of underground Dark Creatures the author attempts to create remains unclear and a little confusing. There is a backstory to explain the Wuftoom but it does not add much depth to the story. Evan's life as a boy seems sad and lonely, but he seems equally uncomfortable with his new family.
Plotlines are included and dropped in what feels like a random fashion, preventing any real sense of momentum to the story. There are some graphic descriptions of death and consumption of Dark Creatures, but that might not be a strong enough lure for even the most blood-thirsty reader to pick up this book. The open ending indicates this may be the start of a series.--Stacey Hayman.
Hayman, Stacey
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Hayman, Stacey. "Thompson, Mary G. Wuftoom." Voice of Youth Advocates, Dec. 2011, p. 520. PowerSearch,
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do? p=GPS&sw=w&u=schlager&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CA275129111&it=r&asid=4f79cfddde7e899af05153eb424adfdc. Accessed 13 May 2017.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A275129111
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Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee
by Mary G. Thompson
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When sixteen-year-old Amy returns home, she can't tell her family what’s happened to her. She can’t tell them where she’s been since she and her best friend, her cousin Dee, were kidnapped six years ago --- who stole them from their families or what’s become of Dee. She has to stay silent because she's afraid of what might happen next, and she’s desperate to protect her secrets at any cost.
Amy tries to readjust to life at “home,” but nothing she does feels right. She’s a stranger in her own family, and the guilt that she’s the one who returned is insurmountable. Amy soon realizes that keeping secrets won’t change what's happened, and they may end up hurting those she loves the most. She has to go back in order to move forward, risking everything along the way. AMY CHELSEA STACIE DEE is a riveting, affecting story of loss and hope.
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Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee
by Mary G. Thompson
Publication Date: October 11, 2016
Genres: Fiction, Young Adult 12+
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 1101996803
ISBN-13: 9781101996805
Thompson, Mary G. Escape from the Pipe Men!
342 pp. Clarion 2013. ISBN 978-0-547-85905-7
(3) 4-6 Ryan and his family live as the human exhibit at the alien Pipe Men's intergalctic zoo. When Ryan's father gets sick, he and his sister Becky seek a cure and learn hard truths about their seemingly benevolent captors. The siblings interact with a myriad of alien races in surprising and hilarious ways. Fans of Madeleine L'Engle will enjoy this book.
At Ali Butler’s middle school, the latest trend has nothing to do with a movie, a song or celebrity fashion. Instead, the kids in the know are growing their own flock of wish-granting fairies. All one needs to do is take two real live starter fairies, plant them in a mound in the yard, and feed them lots of fresh human hair. Once the fairies multiply and mature, they get passed along to a friend who also grows a flock. The next flock needs to multiply and mature before one can make a wish or request a hex. But of course, this not-so-simple plan goes horribly awry for Ali and her friends, and Mary G. Thompson’s middle grade novel, EVIL FAIRIES LOVE HAIR, tells the story of their trouble.
Ali wishes to be smart. Everyone tells her she just needs to work harder but she’d prefer to take her chance with the fairies that Michael gives her. Michael, her sister’s boyfriend’s brother, is a rough kid who smells like cigarette smoke and has been hanging around Ali a lot, recently. He’s more than happy to pass starter fairies on to her so he can get his wish granted. When things start to go wrong, Ali and Michael end up making a terrific, if unlikely team. And things do go terribly wrong. The fairies are much harder to care for than Ali anticipates, mostly because of their ravenous hunger for hair. The complicated set of rules that came with the starter fairies say that Ali cannot feed them her own hair, so she resorts to cutting her sister’s hair in the night and scavenging in drains.
Ali and Michael [are] great characters who learn a lot about themselves and each other.
However, the rules seem to change and Ali and Michael have a hard time following them, meaning that the fairies can exact punishments. Soon the two friends discover all is not as it seems; the fairies are really Divvy-imps, creatures who have historically been tied to children and magically reward and punish their behavior but who, as of late, have tried to sever those ties and gain freedom and power for themselves. They are led by the tempestuous Grand Miss Coiffure, who hopes to rule the Kingdom and grow as big as humans. All she needs is a few more middle-schoolers to grow a few more fairies.
Before Ali can even finish growing her own flock, several of her friends have shrunk to the size of the tiny fairies, Michael has grown almost seven feet tall, she has lost most of her own hair but gained an appetite to devour the hair of others, her sister and Michael’s brother are captured and used as pawns in the fairy scheme, local adults have been enchanted and physically replaced by fairies and much more mayhem besides. The rules of the conflict are constantly shifting and allegiances are never quite clear. Even as Ali struggles to fix it all (with some magic abilities she just discovered), her best friend decides to stay a Divvy-Imp permanently.
Thompson’s story is inventive and her ideas interesting, but her execution is weak and the narrative lacks clarity. The story is often confusing, though the main characters are quite likable. Also, the story is action-packed and at times, funny. The unresolved ending leaves open the possibility of a sequel though perhaps Thompson just wanted an ending readers can try to work out for themselves. Readers looking for a strange and magical adventure may overlook the inconsistencies and enjoy the story, especially the growing relationship between Ali and Michael, great characters who learn a lot about themselves and each other.
Reviewed by Sarah Rachel Egelman on August 13, 2014