The Hotel Between

Gr 4–7—Cameron's only link to his absent father is a coin which he wears on a chain around his neck. When a mysterious hotel appears in a strip mall near his home, the coin proves to be a link between Cam's mundane life and the magical world of the hotel, where doors open onto every part of the globe. There is some connection between Cam's missing father and the hotel. A cheeky teen doorman who befriends Cam promises to help solve the mystery. However, everyone at the hotel has secrets, and Cam must navigate treacherous circumstances and shifting allegiances in order to achieve his goal. The plot is fast paced but a little muddled. Reluctant hero Cam stumbles into adventure while single-mindedly pursuing the father he can barely remember. Cam's grandmother and his twin sister Cassia, who has spina bifida and uses a wheelchair, are incidental characters and remain left behind for most of the book. The hotel staff is diverse, though only a few of them get any significant character development.