The Whispers

December 1, 2018
The Whispers know all the secrets of the universe. If they're real, can they help Riley find Mama?Eleven-year-old Riley's mother has been missing for four months. The Fat Bald Detective that Riley sees weekly for questioning has made no progress in the case. Riley's father, older brother, and grandparents don't talk about Mama's absence, which doesn't help matters. Riley has begun wetting the bed, which he calls his "condition," but there's this "other condition" that he fears may be the reason his mother left or was taken: Riley wants to kiss boys rather than talk with his best friend, Gary, about a female classmate's "miraculously inflated boobs." Riley is convinced the Whispers, unseen creatures from his mother's favorite story, will accept an offering in return for his heart's desire--his mother's return--which drives the plot, along with Riley's exploration of his identity as a gay preteen in the rural South. Howard places unreliable-narrator Riley at the center of his middle-grade debut. The slow reveal of what actually happened to Mama leads to a satisfying and touching conclusion, one that careful young readers may see before it arrives. Riley and his family are white; Gary is biracial (black/white); their classmates in their small South Carolina town are diverse.A realistic tale of coming to terms and coming-of-age, of friendship and loss, with a touch of magic and humor. (Fiction. 9-14)

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November 22, 2019

Gr 5-8-Before disappearing four months ago, every night, 11-year-old Riley's mom told him the story of the Whispers, magical creatures who live in the nearby woods. In exchange for a tribute, the Whispers will grant your heart's desire, and there is nothing Riley's heart wants more than for his mother to be found. The investigation is at a standstill, and his family seems to have given up. His father rarely speaks, and Riley feels he's somehow to blame. His guilt is compounded by his anxiety over what he calls his "condition." He thinks about kissing boys and has a major crush on his neighbor Dylan. Riley wavers between self-assurance and shame over his attractions. His internal struggle and the search for his mother come to a head when he rushes into the woods to bargain with the Whispers. The final chapters leave the whimsy behind as Riley is revealed to be an unreliable narrator. His unresolved feelings about his identity are sensitively handled at the touching conclusion; however, it is troubling he continually refers to being gay as a "condition," which implies an illness or deficiency. VERDICT Despite a few missteps, this realistic middle grade novel's exploration of the stories people tell to protect themselves, and the courage it takes to see through them, is ultimately uplifting.-Sophie Kenney, Delray Beach Public Library, FL

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2019
Grades 5-8 A boy attempts to find his lost mother in this moving tale. Riley's mother used to tell him stories about the Whispers?all-knowing beings from the woods that can make one's desires come true. So when Riley's mom disappears, Riley seeks out the Whispers, with the help of his best friend, Gary, and Dylan, the enigmatic but kind older boy he has a crush on (even though his church says that's a sin). But the woods might not be safe, and maybe it's true what everyone suspects: that Riley knows more about what happened to his mom than he's admitting. As Riley learns the truth about his mother, the Whispers, and his own feelings, he begins to heal. Readers will root for Riley, who retains his hope and humor even in the face of grief, bullying, and the intolerance of his small South Carolina community. Secondary characters are well drawn, and although the story is heartbreaking in places, the ending is full of optimism and love. A touching story of grief and healing.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)