MG – Answers in the Pages

Levithan, David. Answers in the Pages. Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2022. 176 p. 978-0-593-48468-5. Grades 4-8. $17.99.

“At that moment Rick knew just how deeply he loved Oliver, and Oliver knew just how deeply he loved Rick…” One’s interpretation of a single statement can make all the difference. The statement itself might be less noticeable depending on where it is seen or heard and the surrounding context. When the The Adventurers, a book being read by Donovan’s fifth grade class, is picked up at home by his mother, she decides it is inappropriate for him to read. It doesn’t take her long to get on the phone with Donovan’s friends’ moms either and schedule a meeting with the school. Donovan only read the first few pages in class but can’t see what his mom would think is wrong about a book where kids go on adventures. Before he returns to class without his copy of The Adventurers (because his mom hasn’t returned it), Donovan stops by the school library to get a copy so he can see what’s “so bad.” Because his mom drew so much attention to the book, several classmates have finished reading and the kids have honest, open discussions with each other and their teacher Mr. Howe who is openly gay. Told in short, alternating chapters, Donovan’s story unfolds; alongside Gideon’s, another elementary school-aged boy; and Rick and Oliver’s, the characters from the book being challenged. Readers will see what happens when a book’s content is challenged – how it impacts the teacher, the students, and families who may not agree with each other.

THOUGHTS: Timely and full of heart, Answers in the Pages is a book that should be in every upper elementary and middle school library! Highly recommended for readers who will be able to follow three separate narratives.

Realistic Fiction          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

Donovan really enjoys his English class, mostly because of his teacher. When his teacher assigns a book called The Adventurers, Donovan is looking forward to reading it. However, after leaving it out on the kitchen counter one day, he discovers that his mother has read the book – and decides to launch a book challenge. Donovan’s mother interprets the last line of the book to mean that the two male main characters are gay, and she takes issue with this. Donovan finds himself in the middle of a fight that polarizes the school community and pits him against both his favorite English teacher and his mother. Donovan has to examine his own beliefs and decide what he thinks is right, even if it means upsetting someone he cares about. Aside from the main thread of this story, there are two other stories interwoven throughout the book. One is of Gideon and Roberto who are paired up for a school project and develop feelings for each other; the other is about Rick and Oliver, the main characters in the very book Donovan’s mom is challenging. All three stories connect together at the end.

THOUGHTS: With curricular book challenges at an all-time high, Leviathan’s timely book provides a window for students who might be facing the same complicated situations in their own homes.  Leviathan writes from experience as many of his own books have been challenged in schools across the country. All librarians, teachers, parents, politicians, and school board members should read this book. Answers in the Pages is a must-buy for all middle grade libraries.

Realistic Fiction           Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD

YA – Never Saw You Coming

Hahn, Erin. Never Saw You Coming. Wednesday Books, 2021. 978-1-250-76124-8. 320 p. $18.99. Grades 8-12.

Upon learning that she’s been lied to her entire life, eighteen-year-old Meg flees her hometown to find herself in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. While Meg tries to process her feelings and question her beliefs, she meets Micah who has his own reasons to question his faith as well. Meg, a former church youth group leader and church camp counselor, struggles to accept the strict Christian way her mom raised her when it comes out that her mom’s own teen years were not so pure. Even with the church’s conservative views on modesty, purity, abstinence education, and homosexuality, Meg still strongly values her faith and belief in God. And she has to reconcile her feelings. Micah, who idolized his father before he was caught in a sexual misconduct and embezzling scandal, has shunned his beliefs and struggles to find forgiveness for his father’s mistakes. Life in the church community his dad demolished hasn’t been easy for Micah. Both feeling wronged by the families they trusted, Meg and Micah become fast friends then more than friends, and their relationship gives them the space to process their hurt feelings, questioned beliefs, and church teachings. Told in alternating narratives, teen readers will love this sweet romance that addresses the core of one’s beliefs and values.

THOUGHTS: This story is a personal one for Hahn, and she well represents the struggles that teens of faith may face. With honesty and care for the topics, Hahn addresses the church’s hypocrisy in a way that will help teens consider their own feelings. Highly recommended for high school collections.

Romance          Maryalice Bond, SD

Elem./MG – The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. as Told to His Brother

Levithan, David. The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. as Told to His Brother. Alfred A. Knopf, 2021. 978-1-984-84859-8. 215 p. $16.99. Grades 5-8.

It has been six days since Lucas’s brother Aidan went missing, and of course, everyone is frantic. Police, search-and-rescue teams, friends, and family members are searching everywhere for him, not daring to consider the worst. On the sixth night, Lucas hears a noise above the bedroom he shares with his brother and goes up to the attic to investigate. He finds Aidan face down on the floor in front of a dresser as if he had fallen out of it. Disheveled and disoriented, Aidan lifts himself from the floor and looks inside the dresser, seemingly dismayed. After Lucas alerts his family to Aidan’s reappearance, everyone wants to know where he was for those six harrowing days. A fantastic world called “Aveinieu” is his reply. No one believes that Aidan actually went to a magical world that only exists through the dresser doors. But Lucas does believe him because he remembers something. He remembers that when his brother was lying on the floor of the attic, there was something in his hair: a blue leaf in the shape of a diamond, unlike anything Lucas had seen in this world.

THOUGHTS: Students will read this book to find out if Aveinieu really exists and end up discovering that the bond between brothers can be stronger than anything in the world (this world or any others that exist). At its surface, this book is a fantastical tale of getting lost in another world, but deep down, it is a heartwarming story about family. This is definitely a must-have book for upper elementary and middle grade libraries. 

Fantasy Fiction           Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD

Aidan, twelve years old, has gone missing. Lucas awakes one morning to find the room he shares with his older brother Aidan, empty. The boys’ parents start a frantic search alongside members of the community to find Aidan that lasts for 6 days. By this time the local police are hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. But when Lucas hears a thump from the attic, everything changes. Aidan appears in the attic looking confused with a blue diamond leaf in his hair. When Lucas asks Aidan where he was, he replies, “Aveinieu.” Everyone is happy that Aidan has returned, but there are big questions about where Aidan was for those six days. Aidan attempts to tell his story, but the adults do not believe him at all. Lucas talks to Aidan at night and over the course of a few days learns about Aveinieu and gains Aidan’s trust. While Lucas accepts Aidan’s story, the town does not and the students at school turn against Aidan and start making fun of him. The brothers stick together and in the end Lucas (who narrates the story) says, “Like all honest stories, it lives within us.”

THOUGHTS: Leviathan’s first middle grade novel does not disappoint. The story will tug at your heart strings and has a Narnia-esque quality to it. Aveinieu is a magical place with green skies, blue trees, and strange creatures. The struggle Aidan faces in wanting to return to this magical place while not being believed by the adults is heartbreaking. This book was a quick read because I couldn’t wait to find out if Aidan would be allowed back in Aveinieu.

Fantasy Fiction          Jillian Gasper, Northwestern Lehigh SD