Summer Reading?
Well folks, I’m about to drop a well-kept secret on you that I’m sure will shock and astound you! Are you ready? For most public librarians, summer is the time we do the least reading. I know what you’re thinking. WHAT? But you’re a librarian, Anna! Isn’t reading, like, your job?
Sadly, it is not. When summer rolls around, my sole purpose is to ensure that YOU have the BEST summer reading experience EVER. I plan programs, I ready my awesome teen volunteers, I make sure we’re not going to run out of incentives when you come to tell us you achieved all your reading goals. And I love it! But to be honest, because we’re all friends here, I get very little reading done during the summer because I’m too busy.
One book I did manage to make time for was The Leaving by Tara Altebrando. This thrill ride of a YA novel begins with the mysterious return of five teenagers who went missing on the first day of Kindergarten. The teens remember nothing of where they’ve been, who took them, or each other. And no one can remember the sixth kid who disappeared with them but didn’t return. Told through the perspectives of two of the kidnapped and the sister of the one who didn’t return, this is one of those novels you can’t put down. Fair warning: it will keep you up at night until you finish it because you just have to know.
What I loved about this novel is Altebrando keeps you guessing with her narrative. You never know who to trust. She scatters clues here and there, some with purpose while others are red herrings. I found myself loathing one of the narrators right from the start but as more is revealed, I began to see the character’s purpose. It’s one of those books that grabs you from the start and keeps you up at night thinking about it.
So there you have it! Enjoy The Leaving by Tara Altebrando and show your local librarians some love for sacrificing their summer reading lists.
Happy Reading!
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