Wow! I really loved this little book. It was such an interesting perspective on the "kid travels to a magical world" plot. I loved Aidan and Lucas's relationship, and I loved how the book still left you with a few questions at the end. Will definitely be recommending to kids!

David Levithan has struck gold with his first middle grade novel. Lucas is 11 and shares a room with 12 year old brother Aidan. One night Aidan goes missing. For six days life stops as everyone searches for him. When Lucas finds Aidan in the attic, he has changed. Lucas longs for the relationship he had with his brother and had taken for granted. He must decide whether or not to believe Aidan’s story which will make all the difference.

Lucas narrates. At the beginning, his sentences are short and somewhat choppy and almost frenetic. Levithan captures the voice and mind of an 11 year old boy in trauma as he struggles through the loss and then return of Aidan. I can see my middle school students loving this book. It’s creepy without being too scary. I predict a waiting list for this one!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I think this will appeal to tweens and younger teens. There is just enough action to move it along at a good pace. The parents are a bit too good to be true, but I think they will appeal to young readers. I will be recommending this often to boys and girls.

Let me start with the fact that I have loved everything that I have ever read of Daid Levithan’s. Whether stand-alone or in collaboration. He has an honest straightforward style that makes his characters believable and understandable. I could not wait to read his first middle grade undertaking. I was not disappointed.

This is the story of Aiden and his Narnia reminiscent disappearance - but entirely from this side of the wardrobe. He is gone for 6 days and returns, reluctantly, just as suddenly as he left. It throws his family, friends and community into an uproar. How do you deal with a missing child who comes back with a tale that is unbelievable and can’t be shared? What if the child was a bit untruthful to begin with - the boy who cried wolf if you will. This story explores Aiden upon his return and his relationship with his parents, friends and primarily his brother. It is reminiscent of wonderful fantasy adventures, but still stays grounded in the present.

I will definitely recommend this for my middles and purchase when i t becomes available. It is wonderful on it’s own, but will also serve as a gateway novel to introduce fantasy. Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Books for Young Readers for allowing me to review the ARC.

A wonderful read for young adult/middle grades readers. David Levithan is a favorite of mine and this author’s work in this book stellar. Strong characterization and a nice of balance of lingering questions throughout the story make this an entertaining read for young readers, and older ones, too.

I devoured this one in a single sitting. The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as told to his brother) by David Levithan is the book I did not know I needed.

The story opens when Aidan S. has gone missing. His parents are distraught. His brother, Lucas, is beside himself. The town is pitching in to help search. As the days pass, the outcome looks more and more grim.

And then Aidan shows up in the attic, wearing the same pajamas he had on when he left, and everyone wants answers. Is he alright? Where was he? What made him disappear?

Although Aidan's story is the driving force behind this novel, it is really Lucas's story readers enter. When Aidan returns with an explanation beyond belief, Lucas is left to decide what really matters.

Levithan hints at classic tales, but his perspective is uniquely fresh and inventive. Readers will be left thinking about what really makes a story true.

I am looking forward to adding this one to my classroom library shelf and sharing it with readers. Thanks to Random House Children's Books and NetGalley for a free, temporary, digital review copy.

This was a great middle grade debut by David Levithan! Aiden has been gone for 6 days and mysteriously reappears in the attic, where his brother finds him. Although Aiden’s story seems unlikely, Lucas never leaves his brother’s side. This is a great book about brothers and their friendship, and believing in yourself even when it’s hard. Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy.

I've been a huge fan of the Wayward Children series and was proud to be part of the Alex Award committees that gave the author the first two consecutive awards. So when David Levithan (another favored author) creates a semi-similar book? Well... of course I want to read it. Now.

Told from the perspective of Aiden's younger brother, Lucas, we start with a missing child. Aiden has somehow disappeared from their house with no sign of where he might have gone. And then, just as suddenly, he's back, claiming to have been in another world accessed via the dresser in the attic. No Narnia there, but another place with green skies and maddoxes and few humans.

Rather than take the POV of the person kicked out of the doorway back into his "normal" life, following that of the brother is a great choice. Clearly anyone who finds that doorway into another world has experiences we can't understand but what about those left behind? or those who are still there when they return? What is their story like? How do they cope with the public questions and the suspicions? This is that book.

eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley.

I love that there are legitimate books written for middle schoolers that don’t treat them like babies, but as the actual preadolescents they are. And written by David Levithan definitely doesn’t hurt! I thought the premise of the story was really well done, if not a little disjointed and abrupt, especially at the end. Still, I will definitely buy a copy for my classroom library.

I really liked this David Levithan-lite (because it is more geared towards middle school) book. The relationship between the brothers was enjoyable to follow, and adults didn't seem over the top.

It seems like a lot of YA authors are starting to write middle grade so I was skeptical of this book. I was so surprised at how much I liked it. It has thriller vibes, elements of fantasy, and short chapters that make this a quick read. I'm interested to see how long the book looks when it's printed. Definitely a good pick for younger siblings and kids who are well versed in narnia-esque literature.

Lucas’s life is turned upside-down when his brother disappears without a trace for 6 days. For six long days, the transition to hopeful search for Aidan to a search for his body, until Lucas hears a thump up in his attic. When he goes upstairs to investigate, he finds a confused Aidan, who doesn’t quite know where he is, and has a bright blue leaf in his hair. The tale Aidan tells Lucas, their parents, and the police is magical, and he doesn’t think they’ll believe him. At night, Lucas and Aidan have conversations about where he went, and Lucas becomes one of his strongest allies.
Leviathan’s magical telling of this story will enchant young readers and old readers alike. For fans of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

I had not, previously read any books by David Levithan. I enjoy quality YA novels and this novel is definitely one to recommend. The characters are well built, work well together and stay true to who they are as they grow within the story. No strange changes in personality or standard stereotypes. Each character develops along believable paths. David writes in an easy to read style, the story flows very well and I never felt I had to reread or ask myself, what did I just read. The story line is a well done take off of other YA novels; think Narnia, but stand well on its own. The story provides you with questions and answers as you read, always leaving the reader want more and continuing to read. I enjoy how he built the story and keeps you hanging until the very end. No wasted words, no going off a path that does not get finished. I enjoyed the ending and felt David did a wonderful job keeping the reader involved until the very end. The novel can be enjoyed by both adult readers, younger readers and readers of any sex. I highly recommend this novel and feel it could become a timely classic.

•This is a MG book about A boy named Lucas, and his brother Aiden -who mysteriously disappears, only to re-appear in the attic, and claim he was in a magic dimension- the story marks the aftermath.

•This book feels like the MG version of “Picnic at Hanging Rock”. While it was interesting for me as an adult to note the similarities to other works, and try to see which parts were real and which parts were not, overall I don’t think this book will hold onto the MG audience’s attention. It’s not bad, per se, it has some subtle representations for the LGBTQ community. And the story itself has a clear arc, but the conclusion felt a bit lacking. Also I feel like the characters didn’t have a strong character arc with development, this is especially true for Lucas who serves as the reliable narrator.

Overall, I do believe this book has educational value for the MG audience, and will probably be used in a school curriculum to show the damage a family goes through when a child runs away. But I don’t think it’s an especially entertaining read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is the book I needed to read at this point in the year. It's a book about the power of belief, and a book that shows that being seen and heard, especially when you're going through something, can make all the difference. This book showed what being a sibling or being a friend can feel like. This book did a stunning job of showing how sometimes, even if they are going through something that you don't understand, or if it's something crazy or unbelievable, like going to another world like Aiden did, you need to be there for them, and I think that this book did a great job of conveying that, and it made an impact. This book was amazingly written and stunning, and I recommend it.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a DRC of this title for review. All opinions are my own.

I have not read any Levithan (that I can remember at least) so I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this one. I liked the premise (a boy goes missing for 6 days, shows up unexpectedly, and no one believes the story he tells about where he was/why he as gone) and I had high hopes.

I was not disappointed. :)

This was one of those magical, unexpected middle grade books that just WORKS. Balancing fantasy, realism, and a look at the bonds of family, this was a gem of a story. Aidan goes missing and for six days his family and entire community look for him. They search everywhere, eventually even thinking they are looking for a body and not him. But then, suddenly, he shows back up. His brother finds him in the attic, a place they had searched multiple times. Aidan says he was in another place entirely, a magical world found beyond the doors of the dresser that is stored up there, but now, he has been banished back to our world. Distraught, and without time to make up any other story, Lucas yells out that Aidan is back. And now they have to deal with the fallout: did he make up this story? Was he pulling a joke on everyone? Is he delusional? And if not, then why is the portal shut off now?

The entire book has this tension of wondering if it is true, does this other land exist? And, more importantly, does it matter?

Highly recommend.

11-year-old Lucas has a close relationship with his brother 12-year-old brother, Aidan. As is typical with siblings of this age, they tease each other mercilessly, but they really love each other and can't imagine life without the other. One day, Aidan disappears, leaving no trace or evidence behind. Six days later he returns to the attic, seemingly out of nowhere, in his pajamas, looking dazed. His explanation for where he's been is completely unbelievable to his parents and the police. . The only one who believes him is his brother Lucas. So, Aidan slowly begins to tell Lucas more about the time he spent in this mystical world he found inside an old dresser in the attic and the discoveries he made there.

I found this book a sheer delight to read! The pacing was fantastic, I literally could not put the book down and read it in one sitting. The chapters are short but meaningful, not a one is wasted. Character development was top notch! I could feel the bond that the two brothers had and how Aidan's disappearance (and subsequent explanation) strained the family and their standing in the community.

The way the kids in this book talked felt natural to me. The things they did, the games they played will all be relatable to middle-grade readers. The only exception to this could possibly be the discussion of home phones and "turning the ringers off" I don't know if kids today can relate to that and it did seem a bit out of place with all the other technology that was mentioned, as I don't know anyone who uses a home phone/landline these days.

At times I longed to know more about this land beyond the dresser but I don't think that was the point of this story. I feel Aidan's journey through the dresser and back is a very strong metaphor but I don't want to go too much into that as I feel it could lead to spoilers.

The mention of Holly Black and other fantasy writers brought a smile to my face!

I think middle-grade readers will devour this story and I can see teachers using it in the classroom to foster discussion of being true to oneself.

#TheMysteriousDisappearanceofAidanSastoldtohisbrother #NetGalley
Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the advance reading copy of The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as told to his brother) by David Levithan.

This book was absolutely fantastic! Not only was it full of mystery and intrigue, but it also has elements related to the importance of family bonds and trust. I couldn't stop coming back to the book wanting so badly to find out what was going to happen. This is one I will recommend to others, both students and other adults. And... though I'm typically not a re-reader, I find myself wanting to start this one all over again and enjoy it once more.

Lucas is just as perplexed as everyone else when his brother goes missing. Did he run away? Was he taken? Was there an accident in the nearby pond? But after six days, Aidan mysteriously reappears in their attic leaving the family even more perplexed. The story he tells Lucas is fantastical and can't possibly be true, and most everyone thinks Aidan is lying to cover up the fact that he ran away and then returned with help from Lucas. But Lucas sort of believes Aidan or at least wants to believe. I think this book does a great job delving into the relationship between brothers and how sometimes it seems like life can pit family against the world.

When Aidan appears in the attic of his home after a 6 day disappearance, his explanation is wonderful and fantastic and no one believes him, except his brother. The tension in the first few pages is marvelous and leaves the reading wanting more and more. The author manages to seamlessly blend fantasy and mystery into a realistic fiction story about family and more specifically, brothers. Wonderful!