What a great story. Beautifully told. I loved the brothers' relationship and the inclusive nature of the lqbtq characters. Unlike some stories, thiscwas a simple in passing note, just one more item and not all the person was, and by that wonderful.

Both exciting and tragic, The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. uncovers how a missing child can change the lives of a community even if the child returns. When Aidan goes missing, the whole town rallies around his family, everyone wants to lend a hand in the search efforts, but as the days roll past many believe they're no longer looking for Aidan, but for his body. On day six, Aidan returns. Found in the attic by his brother Lucas, Aidan doesn't really have a story for why he went missing, at least not a story anyone will believe. As Aidan tells more and more of his adventure while he was gone, Aidan realizes no one believes him and suddenly everyone has turned against him and his family. This book did a really good job of exploring family dynamics without falling back on the incompetent parent's trope. While Aidan's parents are happy to have him home, they want answers and the truth.

5/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Text Publishing for providing me with an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read a middle-grade novel after a really long and I enjoyed it. The book isn't my favourite though. I couldn't connect with the characters and I wasn't really invested in the plot. It was a one time read for me but I would recommend it to beginners or people who like middle-grade novels.

This book gives off major Goosebumps vibes and it was so much fun! I don't read much middle grade mystery but this book definitely has me interested in picking up more. There was a lot of LGBTQIA+ diversity including a trans character (that was just trans and it wasn't a big deal) and a male character with a boyfriend.

Thank you Netgalley and Text Publishing for the eARC!

The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as told to his brother) tells the story of a 12-year-old boy who disappears for 6 days, then reappears just as suddenly. He claims to have visited a fantasy world, and we watch the aftermath of this experience through the eyes of Aidan's younger brother, Lucas. This was an intriguing story that asks a lot of questions and doesn't provide a lot of answers. It feels on the mature side of middle grade for this reason as well as for the missing child situation and the implication that perhaps something more sinister happened to Aidan than what he's saying. I was surprised at the level of ambiguity and the exploration of ideas here, as I expected middle grade to be more straight forward with a clear moral of the story. While middle graders will certainly pick up on the themes presented here, they might find themselves disappointed in the lack of explanation about the fantasy world. I didn't expect it to be heavily explored, but I did wish for a little less ambiguity.

Ultimately, the story is charming. It presents and explores an intriguing situation, and it features interesting characters (I stan Aunt Brandi) and relationships, most importantly the brothers at the center of the story.

I had to stew on this one for a bit before rating it. Because I'm so back and forth on it, I think 3 stars is a fair rating. I'm between 2 and 3 so I guess it's a 2.5 rounded up.

This book follows two brothers: Aidan and Lucas. Aidan disappeared and was missing for 6 days before he resurfaced again in his family's attic. His family, the police, and the neighborhood that were searching him clearly had questions about where he was so Aidan told them. The problem is that his story was so fantastical that no one believed him.

To me, this story isn't so much about where Aidan was, but more so about how we treat other people who say things that are impossible to believe. I consider myself a very honest person. I demand the truth from other people and I easily write off people that exaggerate. It's like nails on a chalkboard for me. Therefore, I can completely understand Aidan's parents' reactions. They want to be there for their kid, but they're frustrated that they're not getting what they believe to be the real story. Very realistic and it's nice to read a middle grade that paints parents in a realistic light.

The most interesting reaction is Lucas - he doesn't believe Aidan but he begins to see the value in just listening and being supportive. This is where I feel the lesson in the story lies. Sometimes it doesn't matter what someone says. Sometimes they just need someone to hear them, regardless of how outlandish it may sound. I completely admit that this is not my forte and probably never will be. But I think that's exactly why I took something away from this book.

So why only 2.5 stars? This story left something to be desired. It was a fast-paced, easy read, but there just wasn't enough development here in any aspect. Not enough development with the aftermath of Aidan's disappearance with his family, his friendships, even the neighborhood's feelings regarding Aidan. I felt like each thing in here barely scratched the surface before jumping to another scene. When I finished, I was left feeling disappointed because I felt like this really had some potential and it completely dropped the ball.

However, even though I was really disappointed with the execution, I still think it was a compelling enough story. Yeah, I think 3 stars is fair.

The Magician’s Nephew meets the OA meets Stand By Me.

I’ve read a few of David Levithan’s books and found them all to be wonderfully written and engaging, so I was looking forward to reading this middle age/young adult novel. Although it was well written, there were a few flaws that ultimately left me unimpressed.

The Plot (from Goodreads):

“Aidan disappeared for six days. Six agonizing days of searches and police and questions and constant vigils. Then, just as suddenly as he vanished, Aidan reappears. Where has he been? The story he tells is simply. . . impossible. But it's the story Aidan is sticking to. When the kids in school hear Aidan's story, they taunt him. But still Aidan clings to his story. And as he becomes more of an outcast, Lucas becomes more and more concerned. Being on Aidan's side would mean believing in the impossible. But how can you believe in the impossible when everything and everybody is telling you not to?”

I definitely thought this was going to be a different story altogether. I would have happily read a Chronicles of Narnia-type tale, but it wasn’t that. It became clear that we were never going to actually enter the magical world of Aveinieu, and at times, you even found yourself doubting whether or not it actually existed. There were some poignant moments, but ultimately I found myself wondering who the audience was for the story. The book is intended for middle-age children, but it was shockingly meta and didn’t feel accessible for that age reader. Indeed, the main character is supposed to be 11 or so in the book, but he feels like an adult. I referenced Stand By Me here because you feel like the narrator is an adult pulling his childhood experiences out of his memory and reforming them with his adult mind. Finally, the conclusion just felt so anticlimactic, and you find yourself let down. I’m not sure if Levithan was trying something here that didn’t pan out or if possibly he should stick to older audiences for his writing.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Knopf Books for sharing a digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This dad read “The Mysterious Disappearance of Aiden S. (as told to his brother)” by David Levithan, a middle grade novel being published by Knopf Books for Young Readers/Penguin Random House on February 2, 2021. This was my first foray into the world of Advanced Reader Copy books (ARCs) and my tenth read book in 2021 and I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised!

The plot setup is fairly simple: Aiden S. (12) goes missing for six days and reappears in his families attic with an explanation that’s (literally) out of this world. His story raises eyebrows and ire from his family, police and community save for his younger brother Lucas (11) who’d all spent the last week searching for him. Aiden struggles to reincorporate himself into a house/school/town/world that is less thrilling than the place he returned from. The book is written from the perspective of Lucas, giving it a unique perspective and voice.

Themes of family, honesty and love are woven throughout but it’s really Levithan’s conversational writing style that shine. I was especially impressed with how believable the writing came off – language seemed appropriate for an 11-year-old and his perceptions were innocent yet inquisitive. It reminded me of my youth where questioning the world was common as I figured out how to navigate relationships, emotions and responsibilities.

Two things hit fairly close to home for me. With a younger brother of my own (with a similar age gap) I related to the relationship between Aiden and Lucas. Instead of treating this relationship as one-note, Levithan leans into the kindness, trust and love that is often at the foundation but rarely on the surface of male relationships. Lucas really does love his older brother and is his one ally throughout the story. I was touched by their late night conversations that only happened after the lights went out and before they drifted off to sleep.

Alternatively, as a father, I found myself relating to and learning from the mistakes the boys’ parents make throughout the book. I’d go so far to say that if there are any antagonists here, they would be Mr. & Mrs. S. Their actions are grounded in concern for their children but often their own fears and selfishness dictate their actions. Out of all the adults in the book, their Aunt Brandi is the sole character who advocates for and believes Aiden the entire time – a welcome example of a character trying to do the right thing.

This was a quick, engaging read that will likely hit you in the feels, make you think and stick with you after you’ve turned the last page.

Rated: 🧢🧢🧢🧢/5 – Recommend

Lucas’ brother, Aidan, disappears for six days, throwing their family and friends into chaos and panic. Six days are spent frantically searching and filing police reports until all of a sudden, Aidan reappears. How? Where was he? The story Aidan tells is seemingly impossible, but it’s obvious he believes it with his whole heart. What is his family to do?

More than anything else, I believe this book is about the aftermath of a loved one’s disappearance with a slight fantasy twist thrown in. We are pulled deep into what life is like after it seemingly turns upside down and then is suddenly set right again. We see Aidan get teased for what he claims has happened, and his family have to hide from reporters, family, and friends. We feel Aidan’s pain at having no one believe his story.

I will admit, at the beginning of the book, I was afraid I wouldn’t care for it. The sentences seemed awfully short and choppy (but granted, I’m reading a book for middle schoolers as a 22 year old) and where Aidan said he was seemed like a sad spinoff of a well known novel. Despite this, there was enough intrigue to keep me reading, although it didn’t end with as much of a twist as I hoped, and we didn’t dive as much into Aiden’s story as I would have liked.

If I were a middle school reader, I’m honestly not too sure if this book would have kept my attention and intrigued me. Regardless, there were valuable lessons sprinkled in.

“True or not, every story has something it wants you to remember. True or not, every story has something it wants you to believe.”- David Levithan

3.5 stars
This was an unexpected pleasure. Loved the characters and the kids really enjoyed the story making this a fun read along for all of us.

It was a quick read with an easy and interesting story. I have loved the twist on the disappearance case as in most books the lost people are found at the end but here the mistery was if Aidan told the truth about his story. I specially liked the end, it got a very nice closing. The only thing I could set as something negative is that the main characters seemed a little bit too mature for their ages, however because of that we could see some very nice thoughts. All in all, I liked it, it was different and a sweet story about brotherhood. Also plus point for the diversity for the authors, it was not really an essential part of the book but he did include LGBT characters.

I always enjoy David Levithan books and this story is no exception. As I expected, this was a sweet and interesting tale that was wonderfully written. The story centers around a 12 year old boy who disappears only to return a short time later and the fallout he and his family endure. I loved how the story reflects the stress that occurs even as things return to normal. This book felt realistic, enjoyable and held my attention throughout. I loved this story and would definitely recommend others read it as well.

The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S is about a 12 year old boy who disappears for 6 days without a logical reason. Written from the perspective of 11 year old Lucas, this story is a thoughtful look of what happens to a family in crisis. Aiden's explanation of where he has been is not ordinary. Most people can't open their minds to it. It's magical and different. But his brother Lucas believes in him and together they figure out how to move forward. We never really know what other people truly experience. We all have memories to hold on to for ourselves and to share. Love and acceptance matter. This story was refreshingly honest in showing feelings and being honest with yourself.

3.5 stars, rounded up
This is a meaningful middle grade novel with themes of family, the bond between two brothers, and acceptance. The overall premise is that twelve-year-old Aidan disappears for six days and his parents and eleven-year-old brother Lucas are both puzzled and frantic about where he has gone. When he mysteriously reappears, he claims to have visited a different world, and not surprisingly, no one believes him. Lucas wants to though, so he works to be supportive of his brother despite what everyone else thinks.

I loved the brother relationship in this book. This is more of a story about the aftermath of Aidan's disappearance, not really about the disappearance and what happened to him while he was gone. Details do get related to Lucas, but that's not really the point of the book. It's more about the repercussions from everyone around them: the expectations of some sort of explanation for the people who searched for him, the skepticism of people you think are friends, the need to close ranks around your family for protection.

The one thing I didn't care for (but expected because hey, this is a Levithan novel) was the thrown in relationship at the end for Aiden. I thought it was completely unnecessary and not what this book was even about overall. It changed the feel of the novel. I think if the author is going to return to his roots and write more middle grade books, he should just stick with the plot and leave the love relationships to the young adult books. I'd say this with ANY relationship in a MG novel, kids grow up way too quickly these days, why must we push them to pair up so early, even in a book?

This middle grade novel is the story of two brothers of 11 and 12 years old. When Aidan disappears mysteriously, then comes back a few days later with an incredible story, his younger brother Lucas has to make sense of the situation and deal with his changed sibling and the unbelieving adults.

The book is quite short and easy to read, told in the point of view of Lucas, who wants to believe his brother’s story but has doubts throughout the entire book. I really enjoyed how thin the line was between what was real and what was a lie, David Levithan did a great job at keeping things mysterious until the very end. I wanted to believe Aidan, but just as I thought that he was telling the truth, some details made me doubt. Aidan proves how good he is at lying, in different situations, and I just spent the whole book trying to guess what really happened.

We only get small pieces of the mysterious world Aidan traveled to, but it is original and fascinating, and I thought we were given just enough to picture what it could’ve been like.
In the end, this is a book about the bond between two siblings, about sharing a secret and trusting each other. I loved the ending, I thought it was just as it should be and was a nice conclusion to the story.

I liked how the characters were connected and how they interacted with each other. It was nice to see that the adults weren’t one group with one single idea, each of them was nuanced, sometimes surprising, and brought something to the story. The LGBTQ representation includes a trans side character and a reference to mlm romance, which I didn’t expect but loved seeing in there.

The narrator’s voice sometimes sounded a bit mature for an 11-year-old child but it didn’t bother me that much. At different moments of the story I was actually wondering if he was telling this right after it happened or years later.

This is a book about family, love and trust. In the end, we don’t get answers for everything and the tale remains quite mysterious, but the message of the story was lovely and I don’t regret reading this at all!

Trigger warnings: none, I think, though the first chapter deals with a missing child and the possibility of his death.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC!

While sometimes moving, this is a slight novel that lacks the depth to engage teens and the imagination to engage younger readers.

I have very little experience reading middle grade novels (and didn't realize this was one until after I'd started reading, otherwise I may have passed on it, despite my love for David Levithan), but from what I have read and from what I understand to be popular, this isn't silly enough (Wimpy Kid) or fantastical enough (Land of Stories) for the type of reader I associate with middle grade stories. I'm sure there is an introspective 11 or 12 year old out there who will love this, and I'm glad it exists for those kids. At the very least, it gives those readers an option that's better written (by miles) than the other MG books out there.

But if I were a kid reading this book, I don't think I would've found much to glom on to. It's a grounded story of brotherly love and the feeling of needing to escape that I think we all had as pre-teens and early teenagers, but there's just not a lot to it. I imagine this could be good for parents to read with their pre-teens and start discussions of identity, isolation, and more.

Magical realism for middle grade readers!!

Twelve-year-old Aidan vanishes in the middle of the night, only to reappear six days later in his own attic. What happened to Aidan? Everyone wants answers. His parents. The police. The townspeople who searched frantically for him. Especially his younger brother, Lucas. However, Aidan's explanation of his whereabouts is downright fantastical. He claims to have been drawn into another world through a portal in the closet, which satisfies no one.

The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. by David Levithan, available February 2nd, follows the aftereffects of Aidan's return. The story is told from the perspective of eleven-year-old Lucas, who is set up as the reliable narrator. At first, even Lucas, does not believe Aidan. But slowly, Lucas comes to realize that "believing" may be the only way to get his brother to open up.

While the ending was not as strong as I had hoped, this book was a great read overall. As an adult, I very much loved the story and themes, but I am unsure how middle grade readers will respond.

Thanks to Netgalley and Text Publishing for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ✨

First of all, thank you to Net Galley, as well as the author and the publisher, for the copy of this book!

I’m a big fan of middle grade, always have been. There’s something about the purity and simplicity of the stories, with its message to come across, that I really enjoy.

This one was interesting, heart-warming and frustrating all in one. It was beautiful to see the love between the two brothers, both amazing characters, and infuriating to see the reactions of everyone to the situation at hand, both kids and adults. I found myself not knowing what to believe and just wanting to hug Lucas and Aidan.

Instead of telling us about Aidan’s time in Aveinieu, the author leads us to read about the aftermath of his disappearance, which I enjoyed. It felt very real, despite the whimsical feel of the Narnia like world we got a glimpse into.

On the one hand, it felt like not much happened in terms of plot. However, there was a big progression in terms of the characters and the relationships between them.

Moreover, values such as family and friendship were put forward in a strong manner, showing us that there is very little more important than that.

I can’t wait to get a physical copy once the book comes out so I can reread it in one sitting with a warm cup of tea!

David Levithan is an auto-buy author for me. No matter what book he publishes, I will pick it up – which is only proven true with this one, as it involves fantastical features (not my typical cup of tea), and is more of a middle-reader level text than YA. Even still, Levithan's ability to make me care about the characters is powerful, and I found myself rooting for Aidan and his brother Lucas throughout the entire book. Problem is, unless they return to this mystical place that Aidan has discovered, there's no real way for a book like this to end.

This book captures elements from "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe", including the idea of traveling through a closet/wardrobe in order to travel to another world. The heartbreaking component comes in when the rest of the world doesn't believe Aidan, his story, or anything about where he's been. It's truly sad how easily the world forgets about their imagination and the possibilities of things we cannot always see when they grow up. Even more then this, it's beautiful how Levithan can not only paint these challenges, but then also show the growth of young kids in their lives in such a short amount of space.

Overall, a great read – not my typical preference, but I will always love the worlds and characters Levithan creates.

The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. is a fascinating exploration of the impact of an unexplained event on a family and their wider community. A twelve-year-old boy, Aidan, goes missing without a trace and returns a few days later. Instead of relief, his reappearance leads to further questions and concerns, as he claims to have been in another world, called Aveinieu.

Whether what happened to Aidan was real or not becomes less relevant in comparison to how everyone reacts when they hear about it. Aidan’s account of his whereabouts elicits frustration and ridicule from those around him, but what he needs most is to be believed. This is a powerful story about the importance of accepting the truths of other people, even if they are beyond your own comprehension.

Told in the first person, from the point of view of Aidan’s younger brother Lucas, I was hooked from the first page. I love how it’s written - it flows so naturally that it feels as though an old friend is speaking to you. Although there are fantasy elements, they never seem far-fetched or out of place.

Lucas and Aidan are extremely convincing, as is their relationship, which is like that of most siblings. At times there might be conflict, but the brothers’ fierce loyalty and affection is overwhelmingly apparent throughout the story. All the characters are brilliant, including the boys’ parents,.

I was especially fond of Aunt Brandi and my favourite lines in the book come from her: "None of us can understand it. Some people will accept that. Other people won't. They get scared by things they don't understand. Those are the people to be careful around. But they don't get to dictate our reality."

Brandi has a particular insight into feeling like an outsider. She understands what Aidan requires from those closest to him and helps his family to support him. I loved Officer Pinkus too. Like Brandi, she is gentle and compassionate and full of wisdom which benefits readers as well as the brothers at the centre of the story.

Even though this describes the aftermath of something extraordinary, rather than the event itself, it’s still full of suspense. I had chills at certain parts and felt a palpable sense of dread at others, especially when the boys were worried about going back to school. Anxiety about a return to any public space after an incident that has made us conspicuous is something to which most people can relate.

This book will resonate with all readers. The fear of being honest with others about aspects of yourself, your feelings, your experiences, or your problems, is universal. This story demonstrates that no matter what you are struggling with, you’ll feel better if you talk about it with someone you trust. It also shows the value of non-judgemental listening. I really enjoyed The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. This was my first time to read anything by this author, and I’m looking forward to discovering more of his work.

I received a complimentary copy of this title through NetGalley, but all opinions expressed are my own.