Hidden Truths

September 1, 2023
Trust and doughnuts get two longtime besties over a deep rift in the wake of a traumatic accident. Dani lives and breathes baseball--but after achieving the ultimate triumph of making it onto an otherwise all-boy middle school team, a camper explosion leaves her with a broken leg, a concussion, and serious nerve damage. Her best friend, Eric, dragged her to safety, but he is tortured by guilt because, having a famously unreliable memory, he wonders if he forgot to turn the stove off. Was this disaster on their annual camping trip all his fault? Swartz skillfully tracks several emotional arcs in her two sixth graders through their alternating voices as Eric's eventual agonized confession creates a break that drives both well-realized protagonists to fasten onto (and be disappointed by) new friends before realizing their mistake and seeking to mend fences. Eric turns out to be better at this than his tough-minded but inarticulate friend. His MO involves talks with God and bringing doughnuts to social encounters. Dani, her all-consuming determination to heal fast enough to rejoin the team that season only partially dimmed by setbacks, has guilt of her own to overcome for failing to meet him halfway. Sensitive readers will understand what neurodivergent Eric means when he declares "I see stuff differently" as a superpower. The cast reads white; Eric is cued Jewish. A warm testament to the healing power of mutual respect--and doughnuts. (Fiction. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from October 1, 2023

Gr 4-7-Dani and Eric have been best friends and neighbors since the second grade. Dani has been training hard to make the boys' baseball team. When she finally does, she is ecstatic because she lives for baseball. Eric is into donuts, superheroes, and hanging out with Dani, while always being supportive of her love for baseball. As sixth grade approaches, their friendship changes abruptly when an accident leaves Dani injured, unable to play her favorite sport, and Eric wracked with guilt. Dani and Eric turn away from each other, and new friendships are developed that will test the bond they have formed, forcing them to question their personal motivations and loyalties. Middle grade readers will understand the issues troubling Dani and Eric as they struggle to find their footing within the newer friendships. Swartz includes socially relevant plot points many middle schoolers are dealing with, including honesty, bullying, peer pressure, and responsible social media use as well as a message about using one's voice to make change in society. VERDICT Swartz's latest is realistic fiction at its best. A solid story with a strong positive message about friendship, trust, and tenacity that will fit nicely into all collections.-Kim Gardner

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.