Title: The Mysterious Disappearance Of Aidan S. (As Told To His Brother)

Author: David Levithan

Publication Info: Alfred A. Knopf 2021

The Plot: Eleven year old Lucas’s older brother Aidan has been missing for six days. When Aidan returns, everyone is relieved, but his story of where he was is too fantastical to believe. Lucas watches the mood of the small town shift from relief to anger as Aidan’s story comes to light. Lucas navigates the tension he feels between defending his brother and understanding that Aidan’s account strains his capacity for belief.

My Take: I thought that this was an excellent book that pulled me right in and kept my interest to the end. It is really a twist on every children’s book that has the child transported to a fantasy world. Levithan asks the reader to consider the implications of something like The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe. What would be the consequences of such a story? Would it be traumatic for the children to be transported back and forth? How would you ever be able to explain what happened? Levithan explores the strength of family ties and how much we can support our loved ones even as we question their behavior. I highly recommend this book to ages 11+.

One Interesting Note About The Author: According to his website, when David Levithan is “not writing during spare hours on weekends, [he is] a publisher and editorial director at Scholastic, and the founding editor of the PUSH imprint.”