The Perfect Secret

Gr 5–8—The Lake View Middle School students return with a plan to reconcile their two teachers, Mrs. Magenta and Mrs. Woods. The top-secret project isn't the only thing that the friends keep hidden as they face bullying, racism, and familial discord. Gavin, the football star, experiences frequent verbal abuse and retaliation from the coach, Mr. Holmes, but doesn't share these incidents with his best friend. Randi, a gymnast, is also keeping the identity of her half-brother a secret from her mother after the two meet at a travel tournament. Things escalate until the Mr. Holmes is fired, setting off a chain of events which involves a serious accident with one of their cohort. Buyea is skilled at developing relatable characters for middle grade readers, and he continues to use alternating voices that allow the plot to unfold naturally. Despite some of the story lines being a bit predictable, the author introduces timely issues, such as immigration, in an engaging and empathetic manner.