Hiding

January 1, 2018

Gr 8 Up-When a lovesick teen goes for a walk one night, he "accidentally" finds himself in the basement of his ex-girlfriend's house. Unable to leave because of the home alarm system, he resigns himself to an overnight stay. When the maid arrives in the morning, the teen sees his chance to leave, but curiosity gets the better of him and he begins to explore; as he moves around the house he describes his relationships with his parents and few friends, but mostly he recounts the relationship he shared with his ex-girlfriend. The teen prides himself on his ability to hide and uses this skill while stuck in the house but despite this titular theme, the work's true focus is on the connections people share. Twists in the story line will keep readers engaged, but the main plot, which is peppered with curses and some sexual references, frequently becomes lost in the many tangential plotlines. Abrupt returns to the present may leave some teens confused. VERDICT An additional purchase.-Maggie Mason Smith, Clemson University, SC

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2018
A teen boy who excels at hiding must figure out the secrets of a seemingly perfect family.An unnamed, never-described 16-year-old has been hiding all his life. He explains from the start, "Real hiding happens when everybody can see you, but they don't notice you." In this unconventional thriller, the teen tells readers directly all that he's noticed lately. It's been three months since his ex-girlfriend, Laura, broke up with him. He says, "I know you think I'm crazy," perhaps even a stalker, but he felt compelled one night to observe her wealthy home (in which he was never allowed while they dated). When he sees a basement window left open, the teen seizes the opportunity to be closer to Laura. Once inside, though, he becomes trapped when the alarm system is turned on and discovers that Laura had been hiding her true self from him. Despite the danger, the teen makes it his mission to piece together the real Laura. Reminiscent of The Catcher in the Rye's Holden Caulfield, the teen is an unreliable narrator whose thoughts often drift back to previous events of sexual awakening, a friend's false identity, and his own feelings of not fitting in. Readers will often wonder if he is unwell--or the only voice of reason.A taut thriller for thinkers who enjoy adventures of the mind. (Psychological thriller. 13-17)

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February 12, 2018
A bit of an outsider, 16-year-old Danny Preston was devastated when his girlfriend, Laura, dumped him, claiming that he had no goals for the future. Despite the gulf between Danny’s lower-middle-class life and Laura’s privileged one, he thought they had something special together, that it might even be love. Danny describes himself as “good at hiding,” standing so still that eyes skip right over him, and he puts that skill to good use when he climbs through the basement window of Laura’s house. A consummate observer, Danny wanders through Laura’s empty, immaculate home after the family leaves for the day, reflecting on the relationship and discovering how little he really knew her. Danny’s loose, rambling narrative reveals a relatably flawed teen whose broken heart paves the way to a search for answers and understanding. A few startling revelations in the last act highlight Edgar nominee Turner’s talent for misdirection. This tense tale is a haunting meditation on self-acceptance and self-realization, and love found and lost. Ages 12–up. Agent: Dan Lazar, Writers House.