Skye Nickson is 12 years old. She has the typical friend drama at school, but for the past four years she has been dealing with the aftermath of a terrible event in her family. Dad disappeared with her older brother and no one has been able to find them.

She misses Finn dearly including his jokes and the secrets they kept. She also misses her dad although there’s no answer as to why he would disconnect from the family with her brother along for the ride. Police have found very little trace of where they went, possibly out of the country.

Shortly after Finn’s 14th MIA birthday she and her mom always celebrate, they get a call that Finn has been found alone on an Arizona highway. He returns home and is a different brother. He’s taller and much quieter, seemingly not remembering any of the good times they shared. Skye doesn’t like the change and begins questioning whether this is the real Finn and just what change means.

The first person narration shines through 18 chapters. Just like Skye, readers will long for answers. Where did Finn and Dad go for 4 long years? Has Finn even been in school? Where is Dad now? Why is Finn acting so weird and distant?

Most of the questions are eventually answered in compelling ways. It’s through Skye’s changing relationship with Finn and changes taking place with her friends at school that Skye find the voice to face each of them. The story is hard to put down as the truth unfolds in gripping fashion. The plot for THE SHAPE OF LOST THINGS is a rare one featuring parental abduction that will have great interest for the intended middle grade audience.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: October 22. 2024. PAGE COUNT: 272

FIVE MORE THINGS TO LIKE ABOUT: THE SHAPE OF LOST THINGS by Sarah Everett

1. Skye has an old Polaroid camera she uses to take frequent photos of the life happening around her. It’s a perfect way to reveal what pictures are important to her and the ones that never got taken.
2. Everything is honest and realistic both in the way Skye handles her brother’s reappearance and with the friend interaction at school. Nice doses of drama.
3. The cover is a winner with Skye trying to connect the pieces as she stares at her lost brother. This book will be picked up by many just by the cover.
4. The positive adult role models and the therapy sessions Skye must go through are coping strategies that are a must for this situation. Well done and thought out to include these.
5. The wonderful lesson about accepting change in one’s life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sarah Everett is the author of several books for teens. Charlotte’s Web was the first book that ever made her cry, and while she despises spiders, she still has an abiding love of stories that move her. When she is not reading or writing, she is dreaming about summer, gearing up for her next travel adventure, perfecting her tree pose, or yodeling with her dog. She lives in western Canada. (For more about Sarah’s books visit her author webpage)

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