Title: The Best Liars in RiverviewAuthor: Lin Thompson
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: The Paris Project by Donna Gephart
Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake
Rating:
a solid, age appropriate reflection on pain and identity
Summary (provided by publisher): Aubrey and Joel are like two tomato vines that grew along the same crooked fence—weird, yet the same kind of weird. But lately, even their shared weirdness seems weird. Then Joel disappears. Vanishes. Poof. The whole town is looking for him, and Aubrey was the last person to see Joel. Aubrey can’t say much, but since lies of omission are still lies, here’s what they know for sure: For the last two weeks of the school year, when sixth grade became too much, Aubrey and Joel have been building a raft in the woods.The raft was supposed to be just another part of their running away game.The raft is gone now, too.Aubrey doesn’t know where Joel is, but they might know how to find him. As Aubrey, their friend Mari, and sister Teagan search along the river, Aubrey has to fess up to who they really are, all the things they never said, and the word that bully Rudy Thomas used that set all this into motion.
My opinion: It has become a widely accepted truth that middle school is difficult for kids socially, especially for kids who are in any way different. We aren't surprised to find that this is the scenario in this book - bullied kids who are keeping big, essential secrets for fear of worse bullying. It's more than just peer difficulties, though. It's societal disapproval, feeling like you are a disappointment to your parents. These are huge questions to consider in a middle grade novel but Thompson handles them well, never making Aubrey out to be a perfect kid. Aubrey is pushing everyone away, keeping secrets they know to wrong or dangerous. While this is not a book for everyone, if a kid is struggling reading a book like this one could help.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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