Actual rating: 3.5 stars
This book explored the complexity of friendships at the middle school level but ultimately the narrative felt just mid to me. Of course, I appreciate the fact that the female main character loves baseball. I also appreciated the fact that Swartz accurately portrayed the complexity of these types of friendships and how the foibles of middle schoolers mess up these relationships. Ultimately though, the narrative did not grip me enough to bring this book above just an average reading experience.

A great middle grade that covers a broad range of important topics. Elly captured that feeling of two characters growing up and then growing apart at that early teen age. Dani was a star… her passion for her baseball and her drive to be the first girl on the team was inspirational. Eric won my heart his emotions I really resonated with, and I think kids will feel seen in both characters.

I can see what this one is going for. Its a contemplative exploration of how one incident can drive a wedge between once close friends. We're looking at personal and social development. There's a degree of realism to the changing relationship. But it's also a bit overly simplified without enough flesh to make it interesting. THe characters are pretty basic.

I LOVED THIS BOOK and I would give it to teachers, friends,and students to read. It compels the reader to ask important questions and dive deep into important issues (like friendship) that kids face every day.

Spectacular book about how friendships ebb and flow. Kids and adult readers will enjoy reading, from two character perspectives, about the dynamics between Eric and Dani and how one big event can cause a trickle of events down the line. Will be recommending!

A gripping story of friendship, forgiveness, and the resilience of the human spirit. Best friends Dani and Eric share a bond forged over donuts, comic books, and Cape Cod camping trips. However, a life-altering accident shakes the foundation of their friendship, leaving Dani injured and Eric grappling with guilt. Told through alternating perspectives, the novel explores the challenges of changing friendships, the weight of secrets, and the healing power of forgiveness. As Eric embarks on a quest for answers, the story unfolds against the backdrop of school dynamics, social media, and the complexities of loyalty. “Hidden Truths” navigates the emotional terrain with well-developed characters, addressing themes of identity and the enduring strength of genuine connections. A poignant middle-grade read that captures the essence of resilience and the complexities of growing up.

HIDDEN TRUTHS by Elly Swartz is a powerful story of friendship and forgiveness. Told from the alternating points of view of Dani and Eric, who are best friends until a tragic accident puts their relationship at risk. After baseball player Dani finally makes her dream team, she suffers an injury that will sideline her for a lengthy period. The aftermath of the accident leaves Eric feeling guilty, and the fallout drives a wedge between the two. School, social media, and subtle bullying all are at play as their relationship plays out after Dani’s accident and readers learn whether this friendship can endure. A fabulous story of friendship, identity, and overcoming challenges with well-developed characters that readers will root for and relate to.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC to read and review.

This a sweet story of a friendship torn apart by a tragic accident and betrayal. I loved the characters and how they related with each other. I liked how it featured a girl playing baseball who previously fought to play on a team with all boys. The author captures the challenges of middle school well, compacted with the accident faced by these two friends,

I'm not a huge reader of MG, but I thought this book was so great and did a wonderful and authentic job of tackling the challenges of friendship at such a pivotal age. Well done to the author!

Loyalty, lies, and love make up this story of two best friends broken apart by a tragic accident. The true story behind a fires cause and its aftermath will capture the attention of the reader. Anyone who has had and lost a best friend will connect to this story.

This was one the best middle grade books I have read lately. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz.

What an absolute gem of a book! Elly Swartz does a magnificent job showing how subtle bullying can be. We've all seen and heard the stories about the outright bully, but here Swartz shows the origin story of a "mean girl" and how she comes between two friends with her subtle comments, suggestions, and abuse of power.

My heart hurt so much for both Eric and Dani, and Swartz made both of them sympathetic characters. Everyone, kids and adults alike, has been stuck in a situation where we don't agree with someone but don't speak up because of a variety of factors. Swartz shows with mastery how those instances of staying silent can be interpreted as complicity and the complications that arise because of that perception.

I do wish Dani had leaned into the trust and friendship she'd built with Eric a little more. At times, I wondered how she could doubt Eric so easily. Sure, she's under the influence of Meadow, but in a few spots this felt a little too convenient of an explanation to allow the plot to progress. Regardless, the story made its point.

The relationship between Dani and her mother could have been given a little more depth; Dani has a lot of fond memories of her Gigi but seems a little too mystified at times by her mother's responses. Again, plot convenience -- if Dani's mother had been a stronger force in her life, then maybe she wouldn't have been so quick to forsake Eric and become friends with Meadow -- and at times her mother comes off as a little spacey. Not in a "I'm-a-single-mother-and-am-trying-to-balance-all-the-balls" kind of way but a "I-forgot-I-was-a-mom-at-all" kind of way.

Regardless, this book has all the right intentions and a realistic ending, which made me cheer. Kids are so smart, and I think sometimes they get annoyed when adults try to make everything too nice and neat for them. I'd highly recommend it for any and all middle grade audiences.

I liked that the co-ed friendship was platonic. I felt like some plot points were unresolved
I liked that Eric was true to himself till the end.

This was a very powerful and impactful story about friendship, overcoming obstacles, and dealing with tough situations. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read this terrific realistic fiction middle grade book.

Dani and Eric are best friends who go on a camping trip together every year. Dani is so excited after making the boys baseball team as a pitcher and being the first girl to be on the team. A terrible accident happens at the campsite leaving Dani injured, and their friendship is instantly in trouble as both Dani and Eric sort out their feelings and how to move forward with their new circumstances.

Really appreciated the themes touched upon in this book. It was not an easy journey for either Dani or Eric, as Dani suffered a terrible injury from the accident and had to work to regain her mobility, and Eric dealt with guilt, being bullied, and losing a friend. While these are tough themes for 7th graders, it was a touching story to see how both kids worked through these challenges.

Definitely recommend this for middle grade readers!

The middle grade novel Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz is about the forever people in our lives. Loving them. Forgiving them. Fighting for them. It’s also about chasing dreams, finding your superpower, and forgiveness.
Elly Swartz hit a homerun with Hidden Truths. Parents, teachers, and students will become ardent fans of the main character Dani, who truly loves baseball, (it’s not just a phase), and her best friend since second grade, Eric, who loves crossword puzzles and has worn the same swim trunks for two years. (Yes, he’s smart, skinny and gets bullied at school.) The novel is told from alternating points of view, with a signed baseball for Dani’s chapters, and a crossword puzzle for Eric. Kids will love that!
Dani and Eric learn that friends can be jerks, friends lie, friends use you. Both fans of superheroes and shapeshifting, they learn that superpower is not so great among friends. An accident happens and Elly Swartz helps young readers navigate the emotions of guilt, making mistakes, and the consequences of lying or telling the truth. Readers are faced with characters who are brave, reckless, scattered (ADHD), and sideways; but all friends grow and change. Are they who we think they are? Readers will eagerly follow Dani and Eric onto the baseball field, down the school hallways, and out to the Cape to find out how Elly Swartz solves this best friend dilemma.
Readers of all ages are reminded that goodbyes are hard, not everything can be fixed with cookies and donuts, (but they help), and we all need forever people. Insightful. Enlightening. A homerun!

Dani and Eric are best friends. They’ve been best friends forever. Their forever friendship is in jeopardy when an accident occurs, and Dani is injured while camping. Can their friendship be repaired?

I really liked the alternating points of view. I also appreciated how the author lets the reader marinate in the fact that bad things happen sometimes, and situations can get messy and are not always quickly resolved. I found this book to be extremely realistic and one that children can really relate to. I would highly recommend this one for upper elementary and middle school students.

Thank you to Random House Children’s/Delacorte Press and @NetGalley for the gifted ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

#HiddenTruths #EllySwartz #NetGalley #childrenslit #middlegradereads #middlegradebooks

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press. I'm voluntarily leaving review.

Genre: Middle-grade Contemporary Fiction, Sad Books
Content: Bullying

HIDDEN TRUTHS focuses on growing up. There's also a side theme of social justice.

This is not my normal type of reading, but I thought the characters were interesting and the plot compelling. It's what I call a "sad book" because these kids are having to overcome so much. In this case, not as much emotional turmoil from others (like abuse) but physical challenges that stretch their emotional limits and friendship. I hope that makes sense.

I liked how the other characters' arcs were rounded out so we could see that even those who were envied or were the bullies had pressure in their lives. It also ties up everything pretty tightly.

The right audience will eat this up. Kids will love it.

Happy reading!

Thank you to #NetGalley, Elly Swartz and the publisher of the book for the eARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Told in duel timelines from the perspectives of best friends Dani and Eric.

Dani and Eric have been best friends ever since Dani moved next door. They cannot be separated. That is until one summer when an accident happened that changed everything. Was the accident Eric's fault? Eric is worried it is and worried that is caused Dani to not be able to play baseball. The one thing she loves more than anything.
Eric wants to find out the truth of what caused the accident but Dani is hurting and angry and does not want him to.
Will the friends be able to repair their friendship?

A great middle grade read on friendship and losses. I think this book is great to show kids how friendships sometimes change as we get older. I look forward to purchasing a copy of this book for my classroom.

I've read a few of Elly Swartz'sbooks now, and she continually pens stories that are both relatable and relevant. This dual-POV contemporary follows two best friends, Eric and Dani, and the summer accident that threatens to tear their friendship apart. Each main character has an engaging voice, and their unique journeys make this book both a compelling and un-put-downable read. While both Dani and Eric go through some decidedly un-funny things, they both keep their wry senses of humor throughout and offer a lot of great one-liners that both kids and adults can enjoy. The book ends in a way that is both satisfying and true to life. Any child should be able to see themselves in this story, which offers a fresh take on the familiar and fills a needed space on library shelves. Highly recommended.

This was a sweet story, I enjoyed it. I appreciate the shift in perspective throughout, made for an interesting read.