The Silence Trap

Clair's mother has just died and her pastor father is preoccupied with his work. In a bid to get his attention, she stops talking. To remedy her problems, her father leaves their well-ordered urban lifestyle to set up a mission in remote mountain country. At first Clair is afraid of her new environment, but when she's befriended by the worldy-wise Dorrie, fleeing from her alcoholic father, she learns that life can yield rewards at the most unexpected moments. This is an excellent book with a thrilling climax whose quiet humour and shrewd observations are likely to appeal to girls from Year 8 upwards.