 | Mysterious disappearance of Aidan S. (as told to his brother) Author: Levithan, David | |
| Price: $7.37 | ||
Summary:
Aidan disappeared for six days. And just as suddenly as he vanished, Aidan reappears. Where has he been? The story he tells is simply. . . impossible. But it's the story Aidan is sticking to. His brother, Lucas, wants to believe him. But Lucas is aware of what other people, including their parents, are saying: that Aidan is making it all up to disguise the fact that he ran away. The kids in school taunt him, but still Aidan clings to his story as Lucas becomes more concerned.
| Accelerated Reader Information: Interest Level: MG Reading Level: 4.30 Points: 6.0 Quiz: 510599 |
Full Text Reviews:
Booklist - 03/01/2021 *Starred Review* Eleven-year-old Lucas’ brother, Aidan, older by one year, has gone missing. No one can find him until, on the sixth evening of his absence, Lucas hears the thump of something falling in the attic. Curious, he investigates and finds Aidan lying on the floor, looking lost. When Lucas asks where he has been, Aidan responds “Aveinieu.” Initially refusing to say any more, Aidan—under police questioning—admits that Aveinieu is a fantasy world that he accessed by going through the tall double-doored dresser in the attic (à la Narnia). Of course, no one believes him—not even Lucas at first—but as Aidan tells his brother about this strange world with a green sky, blue trees, a silver sun, and animals (including unicorns) unlike any on Earth, Lucas comes to believe. Unfortunately, the confidentiality of the police report is compromised and soon everyone knows what Aidan claims. But do they believe him? Not a chance. How Aidan and Lucas deal with this is the substance of the superb story that follows. Richly imagined, Levithan’s first book for middle-grade readers is an unqualified success. At the book’s end, Lucas, who narrates the story, says, “Like all honest stories, it lives within us.” It will live within Levithan’s readers, too. - Copyright 2021 Booklist.
School Library Journal - 03/01/2021 Gr 5 Up—When Lucas's 12-year-old brother, Aidan, disappears for six days, his family and friends are frantic with worry. But equally concerning is the fantastical story Aidan tells when he reappears six days later. It's hard to believe, yet Aidan stands by his claim that he traveled, via the attic dresser, to another world. Eleven-year-old Lucas wants to believe his brother, but it's hard when the tale seems impossible and everyone, including their concerned parents, the police, and their friends thinks Aidan is hiding the truth. In the evenings, though, after a day of managing questions and navigating escalating tension at home and at school, Aidan tells Lucas about a place called Aveinieu, where the trees have royal blue leaves and the fireflies flash in different colors. A wondrous place that Aidan wishes he never had to leave. As Aidan inches toward reintegrating into his "real" life, Lucas begins to understand the importance of truly listening to—and believing—his brother. With authentic dialogue and a diverse cast of secondary characters, Levithan knits together timely questions of how we decide who to believe and our impulse to fit stories into recognizable narratives. VERDICT An insightful story, with echoes of Narnia, that will appeal to thoughtful and sophisticated readers.—Shelley Sommer, Inly Sch., Scituate, MA - Copyright 2021 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
