Pattyn Von Stratten

Pattyn Von Stratten, or Patty, is the main character and protagonist of the novel Burned by Ellen Hopkins. She is shy, sweet, kind, fiercely loyal to her sisters, and is the main caregiver in her family. She is courageous and compassionate, and knows how to fire guns. She is an avid reader, who desperately yearns to be free.

After a failed romance with Derek -one discovered and broken up by her father- Patty fights Derek's new girlfriend at school, breaks the library window, and is suspended for the rest of the year. In frustration, her father sends Patty to her Aunt Jeanette's for the summer. While there, Patty breaks out of her shell under her aunt's guidance and love, and Patty becomes happy, hopeful, and self-confident. She learns how to ride horses and work on a ranch. She is pleased with herself. She also falls in...