Como vocês já sabem, essa resenha é em parceria com a Random House Internacional, de quem recebemos esse eARC (Advance reading copy: algo como “uma cópia de leitura avançada, ou seja, o livro ainda pode sofrer alterações antes de ser publicado). Também lembrando que essa resenha terá um formato diferente: por ser um ARC, não haverão quotes, já como os livros podem sofrer mudanças em seu texto antes de serem comercializados. Gostaríamos de agradecer profundamente a Editora pela oportunidade de parceria.

Escolhi esse livro de cara pelo autor David Levithan, que já escreveu coisas que eu amo e sempre me tocam (“Todo dia”, “Invisível” e outros), então foi fácil querer ler o mais novo livro dele. Li a sinopse e não me atentei a classificação etária, e confesso que ainda bem que não fiz isso. Não fiz porque este livro é o clássico exemplo de livro bom não tem idade, mas eu teria incorrido no erro de pensar que é um livro “para crianças” e não deveria ler. Que bobagem! Realmente acredito que livro bom não tem idade e ainda bem que li “The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S.”.

O livro começa com Aidan já sumido e tudo que Lucas estava passando, de interrogatórios com a polícia ao medo de ver os pais naquele estado de aflição por terem um filho desaparecido. Lucas tem 11 anos, e eu sei que você pode pensar que tendo um ponto de vista narrativo com tão pouca idade, a estrutura literária seria infantilizada – e não, não tem (alias, se um livro tem um único defeito, eu diria que justamente é o fato de Lucas ser tão maduro assim para sua pouca idade. Eu sei que eu, aos 11 anos, não era nada madura assim e não teria as atitudes calma e tranquilas que Lucas teve). Lucas é um garoto que só quer ter sua família de volta e seu melhor amigo, seu irmão um ano mais velho, Aidan. O estado da família já está entrando no desespero, ainda mais com a polícia começando a mudar o tom do “vamos ter esperanças” para o “talvez o pior tenha acontecido”, afinal, um garoto de 12 anos desaparecido por 6 dias, não é algo tão simples. Sendo formada em documentários de crimes reais, sei que as primeiras 72 horas são as críticas para a procura por desaparecidos serem recuperados com vida e Aidan já estava desaparecido pelo dobro de horas.

Deitado em sua cama, Lucas se lembra da noite que Aidan desapareceu. Ele dormiu, o irmão estava lá. Ele acordou e Aidan não estava mais lá. Então Lucas escuta passos no sótão, enquanto os pais e outras pessoas estão no andar térreo, ainda desesperados com tudo que estava acontecendo. Lucas sobe até o lugar e encontra o irmão velho lá, com os pés sujos e parecendo bem, mas mudado. Não demora para Lucas chamar os adultos e assim Aidan é levado até lá embaixo, esperando dizer o que realmente aconteceu. E ele fala primeiro para o irmão: estava em Aveinieu.

Aidan conta que entrou por um velho guarda-roupas que estava no sótão e saiu nesse lugar tão melhor do que temos aqui: não porque há castelos ou um universo maravilhoso, mas simplesmente porque as pessoas se respeitam, respeitam os animais e respeitam o mundo aonde vivem porque o adoram. Aidan parece profundamente abalado com a volta, e claro que os pais, assim como todos adultos, acreditam que foi o trauma que ele passou que está afetando a personalidade do irmão, que sempre foi tido como o “estável”.

Lucas faz o que precisa ser feito e conta aos adultos o que ouviu do irmão. Logo começa o grande interrogatório com Aidan, que realmente confirma e continua com sua história: ele estava em outro lugar bem melhor chamado Aveinieu. Lucas, por ser tão próximo de Aidan, dá a ele sua total confiança e acredita na palavra do irmão, por mais que parecesse impossível.

Outra coisa que também me causou diversos pensamentos conflitantes enquanto lia foi o simples fato de que as pessoas que ficam enquanto uma viagem fantástica se inicia… elas ficam para trás. Parece algo tão obvio, mas que quando embarcamos nas histórias que amamos, não pensamos sobre o que são deixados para trás. E mais ainda – as pessoas que ficam próximas daquelas que estão sofrendo, aqui especificamente os pais de Aidan, como elas reagiriam se acreditassem que “perderam seu tempo” porque não havia acontecido uma coisa ruim. As pessoas esperam o ruim, mas nunca, absolutamente nunca, o extraordinário.

O livro é inteiro no ponto de vista de Lucas e por diversas vezes, eu me peguei pensando em como há uma ironia aqui: somos tão ligados em fantasia, conquistar outros mundos, salvar o nosso mundo – mas, se alguém chegasse perto de nós contando algo assim, principalmente uma criança, nós iriamos acreditar? Eu tenho quase certeza que não. E é aqui que temos o maior triunfo de “The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S.”: ele nos faz novamente querer acreditar. Que horas que crescemos tanto que passamos a nos tornos tão descrentes de tudo? Por que podemos aceitar a maldade e a crueldade, mas não o fantástico? Claro que essas perguntas são hipotéticas e cabem dentro da trama, mas são perguntas válidas em nossa vida no dia a dia.

Indico o livro para você, que quer ler uma história fantástica e ficar com o coração quentinho. Um livro curto e rápido, com um inglês bem básico e que é realmente capaz de te fazer querer chorar, mas não do tipo ruim, por raiva de um personagem morrer ou por uma injustiça, mas chorar por se sentir um pouco crédulo novamente. Por se sentir criança mais uma vez – e de um jeito bom.

Se eu fosse resumir o livro, eu diria que você pode entender que temos aqui a resposta para: “O que acontece depois da fantasia?”. O mundo comum continua no mesmo lugar, mas você viveu uma aventura, você conheceu outros mundos, você se tornou outra pessoa que não cabe mais no mundo ordinário. E as pessoas que você ama? Elas vão acreditar em você? Elas vão acompanhar o seu novo eu?

No final das contas, o que temos aqui é uma história sobre acreditar. Sobre fé, sobre amor, sobre perda e sobre cura – tudo isso junto, porque desaparecer em outros mundos pode parecer fácil, mas nem sempre o retorno será fácil.

Thanks for the free book, Penguin Random House International.

This book is Narnia adjacent. There's a chest of drawers and a mysterious place beyond into which Aidan disappears for six days. And no one believes him when he tries to tell them where he was except his brother. Instead, people are angry that they put everything on hold while they searched for him. He's embarrassed, feels weird, and wishes he could go back, but he knows he never can.

Lucas is such a good brother. He stands by Aidan and stands with him. He listens when Aidan talks and wants to believe him, but it's pretty hard to do when logic and everyone around you say not to.

This book has me wavering between three and four stars, so I'll round up because I LOVE David Levithan and this is a departure from what I'm used to seeing from him.

My thanks to Random House Children's and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A wonderful magical realism story that will keep your students on the edge of their seats. Very similar to Orphan Island, where you are wanting more, and the entire premise is a metaphor. A lot of students I know will love it, but some may not. It will be a book that's not for everyone, and that's okay!

I love everything David Levithan writes. I had high hopes for this middle grade novel, and I was not disappointed! Levithan is this ability to make the reader connect with his characters. Without beating us over the head with details, he allows us to fall in love with Aidan and Lucas. A story about what happens AFTER we come back from the “looking glass”. I loved this. It was fast paced, exciting, and entertaining.

I thought this was so clever. We get stories about the kids who disappear into other lands and go on adventures, but we never hear about what happens at home, and the aftermath of that. It's a short book, but given that the subject really is the fallout from this disappearance, I think it was the right length.

I really enjoyed this story. Will recommend to my students. I thought it was unique and loved the character development and the plot

I teach high school so this book is probably a little young for most of my students, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I loved the brothers relationship with each other, it was realistic but heartfelt and loving. I think comparing this book to a modern Westing Game or Wrinkle in Time seems appropriate, maybe not quiet such an epic story but I still enjoyed it. I would have loved to hear more details about the other world but I think the book was the perfect length for the age group.

I don't think I have read any book anything like this one. I loved the relationship between the brothers and the careful way the plot unfolds

I was familiar with Levithan's teen novels so I was eager to see how he handles a middle grade audience. The result is a bit mixed. The approach is a bit fantastical. While it's set in the real world, it has a portal to an alternate dimension (though the details are never truly explored). The focus of the plot isn't actually on Aidan but rather on the impact of his disappearance and his story on his family. The narration style has a significant emotional distance. It's the brother recalling what Aidan told him, so we're never in the moment of the story , never engage with the plot or forming emotional connection with the characters. It's really only a surface exploration

About the book:
Aidan disappears for six days, and when he comes back, the reasons he gives for where he went don't make sense to everyone he left behind. But it's the truth, he swears. His younger brother, Lucas, does his best to protect Aidan from worried parents, the other prying students, and police who claim Aidan's stories aren't adding up. But honestly, Lucas is hurt - feeling left behind by Aidan even though he's managed to return to his family. Will Lucas be able to back Aidan up when he needs it most?

TL;DR:
- Content warnings: a bit of bullying/mocking from Aidan's middle school classmates
- 4 stars
- A really special middle grade read. It had a magical quality to it that I think will make it one to recommend to so many kids. Even though it had a tinge of sadness, it was ultimately a cute story with an element of self-discovery that anyone could enjoy.

Loved:
- I really really enjoyed the arcs that both the boys (Lucas and Aidan) followed. Though at the beginning of the book Lucas was more subdued and Aidan more outgoing, they went through slight role reversals and also grew closer together as a result of Aidan's disappearance.
- I LOVED the boys' aunt Brandi and how accepting she was, how unequivocally she was there for them and how she had her own small story as well. I also loved Officer Pinkus - another adult in the story who was super supportive.
- Overall I appreciated how the story itself was about two brothers who found a way to improve their relationship and learn more about themselves and each other out of this WILD circumstance.

Less into:
- The boys' parents and the townspeople were a little much for me. For a majority of the book the parents were super understandably worried about their son and then it felt like they 180-ed with out much cause, but maybe that's just because the book's pacing was really slow and then really quick.
- The townspeople also gave off this really sinister vibe because they were mad that Aidan ended up okay when they'd spent so long looking for him - it was realistic to the suburbs for sure (lol) but it felt weirdly out of place in a middle grade novel.

Overall this is a book I'd recommend to all the young people I know! It's got a timeless quality, but it's modern enough that I'd feel good about suggesting it to kids growing up today.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I received an e-ARC of this title through NetGalley from the publisher. I went into this reading with the expectation that we would get more of Aiden's story of his time in Aveinieu but it really was about the aftermath of his reappearance. Which wasn't necessarily bad, just not what I was expecting.

Final verdict: I can think of some middle grade students that I know who will enjoy this title. The cover is beautiful. I do think our library will purchase a title but I'm not sure how I'd book talk this title without giving away the little bit of conflict and plot there is. Officially I'd give it 3.5 stars but I'd lean more 3 stars than 4.

Pros: I loved the format that Levithan chose to tell this story giving us a second-hand account of Aiden's story instead of having us get the story from Aiden. Having Lucas tell the story allowed for opportunities to question the story as he was being told and the way he was able to question inconsistencies but making the choice not to point them out or pursue them are very much in line with the way a younger sibling would feel/handle that situation. I also enjoyed realizing why there was a paper airplane on the cover at the end which for me brought the book full circle from picking the title to finishing. Lastly, short chapters were great for maintaining attention.

Cons: You don't learn much about Aiden's disappearance and the ending really felt rushed when it came. We had numerous drawn out days of their parents' disbelief and frustrations with his story and then it was just over.

You're never going to believe it! Aidan S. disappeared...for 6 days, and now he's back. What is going on? The entire neighborhood, the police, and Mom and Dad want to know. But Aidan won't talk, except to his brother.

"Why won't you tell?" Aidan's brother wants to know, too. Everyone was worried about him. They are glad he's back, but...

"Because no one will believe me."

Middle schoolers are going to eat this story up! I will need several copies in the library. Soon.

Brothers, family, truth, community, and happiness - all themes found in this book. I loved the relationship between the two brothers, Lucas and Aiden, after Aiden disappears for six days and on his return claims that he visited another world by walking through a wardrobe in their attic. Only Lucas knows what really happened and is willing to do anything in his power to help his brother and keep him at his side. The perfect mix of unreliable narrator, mystery, and family grief.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, Random House Children's, and Knopf Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.

Well, I ended up reading this entire book in a single day, I didn't want to put it down, I wanted to know what happened!

Levithan deftly handles and showcases the range of emotions the family experiences throughout this while also making it a story about two brothers learning how to support each other.

The few sentences about half way through the book that explained who Aunt Brandi was is SUCH a powerful moment. It's mentioned, and then the story moves on without making a big deal about it (which is really how it should be). I love that Levithan worked that moment into the story and made it a passing comment rather than screaming it with flashing lights.

I'm familiar with Levithan's YA novels, it was fun to read something written for the Middle Grade crowd.

This book was absolutely fabulous. It was a nice length and had amazing writing and characters. It was about a boy who enters a magical world and is "lost" for six days. He is continually trying to get back to that magical world. However, his brother, his family, and the boys were turned on when the community thought he was hiding and making up stories. In the end, it turns out, that Aidan was telling the truth and the world wanted him back. It was such a fabulously told story. I loved it.

Loved this tale of a boy that goes missing for 6 days and how his brother tries to make sense of his mysterious disappearance and return.

The Mysterious Disappearance of. Aidan S. (as told to his brother) by David Levithan, Aidan disappears for six days. On the sixth day, his brother, Lucas, hears a noise from the attic. He goes upstairs to investigate and discovers that his brother, Aidan, has returned. When asked where he has been, Aiden insists that he was in a land called Aveinieu. Was he really in a magical place or did he make it up so he does not get in trouble for disappearing?

While the story is an interesting read, I admit that I was disappointed with the ending. I would have enjoyed hearing more about Aveinieu and maybe seen another character enter the world.

I received an advance reader copy of this book through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (As told to his younger brother) is is told from the point of view of Aidan’s younger brother, 11-year-old Lucas. While most of Levithan’s other works are for young adults, this one is definitely middle grade.


When 12-year-old Aidan disappears without a trace, the entire community gets involved in the search to find him. It is equally inexplicable when he abruptly reappears in his family’s attic six days later. The rest of the story revolves around where Aidan disappeared to for those six days, and the repercussions of the explanation that spreads through their community.

I gave The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (As told to his younger brother) four stars. It was a very quick read, and satisfyingly spooky with regard to the changes that had come over Aidan after he returned.

Ugh. What a great book. The plot, the characters, the pacing. It all fires on all cylinders from the jump. This book is a total triumph.

Mysterious, intriguing, edge of your seat story about a boy who goes missing for 6 days and where he says he was.