Helper

an engaging story

What would you do if you were living in an abusive foster home and no one seemed to care or do anything about it? Almost sixteen-year-old Pamela Reager is in just such a situation. Her parents had been killed by a drunk driver when she was seven, and since then she had been staying with Ann and Jim Walls. Ann was mean, often hitting Pamela and the four younger children in her care. Jim was kind to her but would never do anything about his wife. Pamela longed to run away but stayed to help the other children. She did complain to her teacher, Mrs. Crowley, who contacted Child Protection Services. The sympathetic CPS worker, Cynthia Yates, could not find any proof of abuse but still managed to find ways to remove the younger children. Once the four others were gone and Pamela turned sixteen, she was able to carry out her plan to run away. Having hidden all kinds of provisions in the barn, she takes the palomino horse whom she has named Helper and goes off on the far side of a steep mountain where she finds an old cabin. Her plan is to stay in isolation until she turns eighteen, but she discovers that the horse has many extraordinary gifts. Helper leads several other people into her life, such as a neighbor, Trenton Gill who is just graduating from high school, and Craig Bonswell, a six year old boy whose parents are killed in car wreck. How will these people affect Pamela's life, and what will she do when she turns eighteen? The book has just the right combination of action and description so that the reader will not only want to keep turning the pages but also will be able to savor what's on the pages. There were several typos in the original book, so author Malinda Mitchell published a second edition that is much better than the first and was professionally edited. This book would be especially good to help young people who have been in abusive situations to know that there are help and hope as they see how Pamela overcomes her bitterness and anger to become a well-adjusted adult. Malinda says, "Even though she makes some questionable choices based on her experience as an abused child, she learns valuable lessons." My only objection is that the print seems exceptionally small, but I really enjoyed the engaging story as well as the lifelike illustrations by Neal Wooten.

Review for Helper, 2nd Edition

The setup is fantastic! There is no doubt in your mind what Pamela is up against. To coin a phrase I've heard over and over again ".to be a fly on the wall". Well in this case I felt like a fly on the wall; I could see and hear everything that was taking place, only I didn't feel as though I were part of the story. I felt as though I were there as a fly on the wall observing every little detail that went on in Pamela's life. As with all of her writings Malinda Mitchell writes with such tremendous passion to detail!

As I was reading I got extremely caught up in the storyline and the characters. I couldn't help but forget that I was sitting in my home reading a story. The details of the happenings, the sights, the sounds, the passion, drag you into a trance I didn't have the ability to put this book down until I devoured every word.

I clung to every word. I didn't want this story to end; it doesn't have to end and
it doesn't really end...You'll understand that statement once you've read HELPER

It's a story you never tire of reading again and again. Once you've read it you will have a very peaceful feeling. It's a must have for your book collection!

You can't stop yourself from seeing the sights, hearing the sounds, and feeling all the emotions. There is some mystery that will keep you going.

This is a great story for young adults, adults, and older adult readers alike. I felt, so much, compassion for Pamela and her situation; I have experienced and there may be several others of you out there that have experienced an Ann Walls, maybe not as a foster parent but as a family member, neighbor, or just someone you have met.

A very good book for young adults

I highly recommend this book for young adults. It's well written and very entertaining. This author has a marvelous gift for giving voice to her characters.

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