Title: Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee
Author: Mary G Thompson
Publisher: Chicken House Books

Teacher review

I’m really struggling to make my mind up about Amy Chelsea Stacie Dee. The title initially threw me: it’s long, the names are - like most young adult fiction - a little ridiculous (arguably not Amy and Chelsea), and the ordering of them is confusing and I never seem to get it right. Yet that may very well be the point.

The initial few chapters were really enjoyable. Thompson was able to offer her readers just the right amount of information in those first few chapters, imparting knowledge in small doses and creating the thrilling tone expected of this genre. Unfortunately, something continued to bug me: the protagonist. I didn’t know whether I was supposed to like or loathe this character and that made me feel uncomfortable. Again, that may have been the point.

Mary G Thompson’s storyline was interesting, unique and had lots of potential. However, as the novel progressed, the plot became tiresome and a little far-fetched for my taste buds. It also became quite clear that Thompson lacked variety in sentence structure - starting every sentence with “and” or “but’” became monotonous really quickly.

Would I recommend to a friend? Probably not. However, I am glad my students enjoyed it.

Jodie Newsham is an English teacher at Ullswater Community College, in Penrith. 

Pupil reviews

‘Interesting, but lacks a climax’

Amy, Chelsea, Stacie, Dee is a book that covers a wide range of issues that are ever-present for a young generation: abduction, sexual abuse and child grooming.

Thompson attempts to portray the dangers that children face nowadays through the disturbed 16-year-old Amy, who remains trapped between two lives: one consumed with horror and the other requiring constant information to keep her going.

Despite Amy’s circumstances, as a reader I don’t recognise any build-up of character. Furthermore, the book, despite containing hard-hitting issues, is written in a childish narration, making it appeal to a younger audience. Thompson also overuses short sentences, which leave details out and create a jumpy flow when reading.

Overall, I feel that this book is good for a young audience and is definitely aimed towards females. The premise of the plot sounds interesting but lacks a climax. The plot is a bit erratic and sometimes far-fetched; however, it is simple to read if you’re looking for an easy book.

Thompson has tried to write a clever and interesting book, however misses out some fine details and plays it safe with simple sentences and basic description.

Poppy Dixon, Year 11

‘A book that takes on real-life issues’

At first glance, the book seemed to be aimed at the typical girly girl, because of the large pink doll that dominates the front cover. I also thought that the book was one that contained the typical teenage drama - girls falling out over some boy then they end up being friends again somewhere towards the end, simply because the boy has rejected one of the girls.

However, as I started to read the book, my opinion changed. The novel starts with the following short sentence: “I am the last one on the bus”, which isn’t what you would expect from the front cover. It suggests that something intriguing is going on, or maybe something is not quite right. Why would you start a story with one person on a bus? Why wouldn’t you start it with a description that sets the scene for the whole story?

I liked the protagonist Amy/Chelsea because, as she starts to get back into a normal routine, she gets thrown back into her past. Her cousin suddenly wants to be her friend, when they didn’t get along in the first place. Then a face from her past - a friend from school - is suddenly dropped into the picture at a crazy house party.

Amy/Chelsea seems to represent, in a strange way, all those girls and possibly boys who don’t really fit in with normal life, who struggle. Maybe because of a disability or maybe because of an illness that makes them feel they will never be truly accepted.

It’s a hard-hitting book because of all the issues it tackles throughout and the way the protagonist handles everything that gets thrown at her. Despite first appearances, the book isn’t one for girly girls but is actually one for those who like a gripping storyline and a book that takes on real-life issues.

Anna Dinsdale, Year 10

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