About This Book:
Thirteen-year-old Tom Goodwin is not happy about moving hundreds of miles away from his best friend, thanks to his dad’s new job. His new classmates think his Boston accent is weird, his new school is seriously old, and his new friends—just kidding. He has no new friends here. But at least he’s not as weird as Lata Seth, a fellow eighth grader who skips class to stare at an empty wall of the school hallway in the belief that a door will randomly appear there. Sure, she’s sad because her sister died, and her comments about wanting to disappear through the door are a bit alarming. But the door doesn’t exist, Tom tells himself, so he doesn’t need to worry about her.
Then, to Tom’s shock, the door appears, and as he tries to keep Lata from going in, he is pushed through as well. On the other side, they find themselves in the exact same school hallway . . . except in this world, they don’t exist. These unlikely allies will have to work together to return to their homes and the people who love them.
Characterized by exciting, fast-paced plots and age-appropriate themes, Harbor’s Hi-Lo books are both engaging and easy to read. Short chapters, simple sentence structures, and an accessible format make these books perfect for tween reluctant readers. Harbor books are written at a 2nd- to 3rd-grade reading level with an interest level of ages 10 and up.
*Review Contributed by Mark Buxton, Staff Reviewer*
What worked:
A mysterious door appears in a school hallway and it’s become legendary to the students and alumni. Stories are told about kids who enter the door never being seen again but no one really believes it. Lata and Tom don’t know each other but they pass through the door and enter a world identical to the one they left. The first big sign that things are different is when Lata finds her sister alive! However, this Zoya has no memory of Lata and her parents don’t know her either. Tom assumes his parents must never have moved here from Boston so both kids are stranded in a world where no one knows they exist.
Lata is emotionally distraught due to her older sister’s death three months before. She loved and looked up to Zoya but regrets not sharing these feelings with her. Her parents haven’t adjusted to the loss very well and Lata is constantly upset about their fighting. She’s given up and just wants the pain to go away. Tom is angry that his father made the family move to North Carolina forcing him to leave his friends and comfortable life behind. Other students make fun of his Boston accent and he’s not connecting with any potential new friends. Lata and Tom must each deal with their emotional baggage although Lata’s problems dominate the plot.
What didn’t work as well:
The book needs to be longer. Legend says no one’s been seen again after entering the door and no one knows how it happens. It’s hard to believe everything gets figured out over the course of one weekend. In addition, both kids have personal issues that deserve more development and readers may be left wanting more.
The final verdict:
Being forgotten is a horrible emotional trauma that will touch the feelings of young readers and the plot will connect with those who have dealt with loss. The book is a surprisingly fast read and offers a unique conflict. The listing says the book is for ages seven and up but the main characters are in the eighth grade. Overall, this book shares a heartfelt story of grief and I recommend you give it a shot.
*Find More Info & Buy This Book HERE!*
