I'm Not Missing

Gr 10 Up—Miranda Black admires her best friend Syd, who always had her life mapped out, ever since their mothers left them; but when Syd disappears, leaving behind only cryptic messages, Miranda discovers how little she knew about her friend. Following Syd's directive not to look for her, Miranda attempts to resume her life, including reconciling with the boy she loves, and learns that moving on requires finding Syd and getting some answers. Readers looking for a mystery would be better served by John Green's Paper Towns or Meg Rosoff's Picture Me Gone. While the mystery of Syd's disappearance unfolds predictably, what really shines in this novel is Miranda's attempts at getting her life back after Syd's disappearance. There are plenty of sweet moments between Miranda and Nick as they progress from former enemies to lovers. Miranda's relationship with her father is also well crafted and a sharp contrast to her relationship with Syd, which may make readers wonder why Miranda was drawn to her best friend in the first place.