Four teenagers have to face everyday problems. Important testing, the terrible past, and the life they live in pressures them everyday. It doesn’t help when the school starts to receive daily bomb threats. No one knows when the bomb will go off, or who is sending the threats. Gustav, Stanzi, China, and Lansdale practice drills with the rest of the school everyday. With all the stress, they decide to lie. And because they believe their lies, the lies are true. Gustav is building an invisible helicopter, Stanzi’s lab coat hides her secrets, China swallowed herself, and Lansdal’s hair grows whenever she tells a lie. After going through so much, they learn that the only way to escape your troubles is to crawl through and face them.
I absolutely loved this book. The plot was incredible. You could relate to the characters and sometimes understand what they might be going through. The ways the characters acted was realistic. A.S. King found a way to communicate with people about the troubles we face and how to face them.
This book taught me that sometimes you have to believe it to see it. It taught me that the rules aren’t always right. Most importantly, it taught me that sometimes you can’t run away from your fears and troubles. You have to face them and be brave.
Reviewed by Shirley, Grade 7, Twin Hickory Library
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