Cheryl Rainfield
writes realistic edgy fiction for teens, fantasy for children, and some
nonfiction articles for adults. She edits and critiques children’s and teen
fiction, and on her website she reviews a wide variety of children’s and young adult books. In addition to writing, Cheryl is also a talented artist. She
lives in Toronto with her dog, Petal.
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Praise for Books
“Powerful. I raced through it, wanting to know if Sarah would find a way
to escape both her captor and her self-doubts. A real nail-biter!” —April Henry, New York Times bestselling author
“Scars is a brave novel, a
read-in-one-sitting-except-when-you-have-to-put-it-down-to-breathe novel.” —Ellen Hopkins, National Book Award nominee and New York Times bestselling author
“Rainfield imbues Sarah’s story with heartfelt emotion that resonates as much as Sarah’s fighting spirit inspires…Sarah’s refusal to be a victim will stick with readers.” —Publishers Weekly
“Rainfield writes with great empathy and
compassion as she tells Kendra’s story. Kendra’s pain is palpable…It is clear
that Rainfield has firsthand knowledge of these topics, and she handles them
deftly.” —VOYA
“A teen beaten down by peer bullying finds inner strength when she is abducted and held against her will…Sarah’s determination to stay alive and escape will resonate with readers, and they will cheer her efforts to overcome her underdog status.” —Kirkus Reviews
“The excellent resource section covers widely
respected books, web sites, organizations, and help lines for youth seeking
information on extreme abuse, cutting, same-sex attraction, and dissociation.
This book will be a particular comfort and source of insight for teens facing
any of these challenges, but whatever their life experience, they will be on
the edge of their seats, rooting for Kendra to unravel the mystery that shadows
her life. This is one heck of a good book!”
—School Library Journal (starred review)
“Stained is dark, tense, and gripping; a triumph of one girl’s heart, soul, and will to survive. Sarah’s strength during her descent into terror
kept me reading way past bedtime!”
—Laura Wiess, critically acclaimed author of Such a Pretty Girl
“Emotions ring true in this thriller/survivor story…A raw and honest story.” —Publishers Weekly
“A compelling, gutting, and ultimately triumphant read. You won’t want to
stop turning pages—or blink, or breathe—until you reach the very
last one.”
—Jennifer Brown, award-winning author of Hate List
“[The] sense of overwhelming emotion might
appeal to teens wrestling with similar issues. The book becomes most enjoyable
near the end, when it makes an implausible hairpin turn into the realm of
psychothriller.” —Booklist
“Scars is a painful and well-told story, obviously
written with the heart’s blood of the author. It could prove to be a life-saver
for other young victims of abuse and self-harm.”
—Lois Duncan, Margaret A. Edwards Award–winning author of Killing Mr. Griffin and I Know What You Did Last Summer
“Rainfield’s gripping, chillingly honest account
of an abused teen’s fight to survive her history, and its consequent self-harm
is written with such compassion and empathy that this is ultimately a story of
hope.” —Wendy Orr, award-winning author of Nim’s Island
“Scars is the must-read for any
teen. I couldn’t put it down.”
—Gail Giles, award-winning author of Shattered Glass
An intensely powerful account of a teen, bullied for her port-wine stain, who must summon her personal strength to survive abduction and horrific abuse at the hands of a deranged killer
Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for "normal." Born with a port-wine stain covering half her face, she has been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust all her life. But when she's abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It's that—or succumb to a killer.
Fifteen-year-old Kendra hasn't felt safe since she began to recall devastating memories of childhood sexual abuse, especially because she still can't remember the most important detail: her abuser's identity. Frightened, Kendra believes someone is always watching and following her, leaving menacing messages only she understands. If she lets her guard down even for a minute, it could cost Kendra her life. To relieve the pressure, Kendra cuts; aside from her brilliantly expressive artwork, it's her only way of coping. Since her own mother is too self-absorbed to hear her cries for help, Kendra finds support in others instead, from her therapist and her art teacher, from Sandy, the close family friend who encourages her artwork, and from Meghan, the classmate who's becoming a friend—and maybe more. But the truth about Kendra's abuse is just waiting to explode, with startling, unforeseen consequences. Scars is the unforgettable story of one girl's frightening path to the truth.