Allison Hobbs has written a book that is gritty, raw and brutally honest about the dark underworld of sex trafficking.  Fifteen year old Gianna “Lollipop” Strand goes to the boardwalk to meet a friend and befriends Bullet.  Unbeknownst to her, he is an ex-con who abducts her so that he can be her pimp.

Not intended to be a book with a happy ending, Stealing Candy warns about the dangers of living on the streets.  It reminds you to keep a close eye on your children so that they know about the hidden dangers of talking to strangers.  It also reminds you to focus on what is important in life.

I wish this book was more kid friendly.  I would definitely have recommended it to some of my younger readers but Hobbs has created a very graphic tale that can, at times, be utterly disgusting.  I’m not saying that she isn’t a fabulous writer but even I had to skip lines because they were too strong for me to take.

Formats Available:  Book

Reviewed by Damera, Okolona Branch