Description
One minute Jack's in math class. The next, he's on a dark, cobblestoned, empty street. Empty, that is, except for a skinny girl wrapped in a threadbare shawl. "Matches, mister?" she asks, and just like that, Jack's life collides with one of Hans Christian Andersen's grimmest tales. And just when he has almost convinced himself it was just a weird dream, it happens again.
Suddenly, Jack's ideas about what is "real" or "possible" no longer apply. While he and his new girlfriend, Lucy, struggle to understand who or what the Match Girl is, they come to realize they must also find a way to keep Jack away from her. The Match Girl is not just a sad, lonely soul; she's dangerous. And each time Jack is drawn into her gray, solitary world, she becomes stronger, more alive...and more attached to Jack.
She wants to keep Jack for her very own, even if that means he will die.
Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels
- Age:
- 12
- Grade:
- 8 to 12
- Reading age:
- 12
Editorial Reviews
“Supernatural melds intriguingly with fairy tale in this twist on Andersen's 'The Little Match Girl.’”
— The Horn Book Online
"What is most impressive about Bennett's novel is that [the] paranormal events and Danish family connections are placed in such a believable context. Both teens are realistic in their actions and reactions, their concerns for school-work, their family interactions, and their feelings for each other...But the reader is willingly "drawn away" to the haunting past."
— Resource Links
"A well-drawn mystery/ghost story make[s] this an inviting quick pick."
— The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"For those of you who remember reading Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Little Match Girl', prepare for something completely different from the beatific ending he provides for the title character when you read Holly Bennett's smart, dark twist on the tale...Bennett's strong plot and pacing doesn't sacrifice character development for the three main characters...Readers will be feverishly turning the page...Drawn Away would be a good addition to upper elementary and secondary school libraries as well as YA collections in public libraries everywhere."
— CM Magazine
"The book is imaginative...it is certainly well written, and the concept of finding oneself transported to the land of a famous children's story has terrific potential."
— Booklist Online
"An absorbing narrative that tempers its dark subject matter with humor and boasts three protagonists with distinct personalities, ambitions, and fears...A definite crowd-pleaser for fairy-tale enthusiasts and fantasy lovers."
— Kirkus Reviews
