The Disappearing

Gr 5–7—Tim and his best friends live in the bucolic town of Briny Deep. They enjoy an idyllic life of skateboarding, barbeques, and sleepovers. In fact, nothing bad happens in Briny Deep. Ever. The only trouble for Tim, it seems, is his recurring nightmare. Each night, he is chased by a stranger. He sees a green lawn and yellow house, always just out of reach. And every night, he awakes right before being caught. While Tim can't seem to shake this nightmare, all is well in his town at the onset of summer. That is, until one by one, children start disappearing. First a classmate, then one of his friend's younger sisters, then one of his own friends during a game of hide-and-seek. At the same time, Tim and his buddy Max notice a yellow-haired stranger in Briny Deep. Despite a town-wide curfew, Tim and Max decide to take matters into their own hands to solve this mystery. What Tim overhears near the end of the story will leave readers at the edge of their seats and sets up a second installment of this paranormal, science fiction series. While much of the story is plot driven, with unfortunate gender stereotyping (the boys leave the girls at home during their rescue attempt), Torres succeeds in her mission: to hook reluctant readers and keep them reading. This slim book should do the trick.—Meg Allison, The Moretown School, VT