Bianca

When Hubert Hamilton first sees Bianca rowing a boat through the fog, he isn't sure she is real. A second sighting, however, convinces him that the frightened-looking girl is not only real but in desperate need of help. Together with his sister Emily, Hubert befriends Bianca and discovers that she has no recollection of the events that have left her stranded and alone in the wilderness. While they plan to care for Bianca on their own, they soon realize that they must enlist the aid of their parents; with the support of the Hamilton family, Bianca gradually becomes able to face her painful past. The author's understated depiction of the Hamilton's warm family life makes the horrors that befall Bianca seem all the more devastating. Told from various points of view, this is a mosaic-like account of the events that lead a girl to the brink of madness and back again. In sum, this is a quiet, satisfying novel about thoughtful people doing their best in a difficult and unusual situation. Ages 12-up. (September)