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The Insiders
Three kids who don’t belong. A room that shouldn’t exist. A year that will change everything.
Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead and Meg Medina, this debut middle grade novel from award-winning author Mark Oshiro is a hopeful and heartfelt coming-of-age story for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in.
San Francisco and Orangevale may be in the same state, but for Héctor Muñoz, they might as well be a million miles apart. Back home, being gay didn’t mean feeling different. At Héctor’s new school, he couldn’t feel more alone.
Most days, Héctor just wishes he could disappear. And he does. Right into the janitor’s closet. (Yes, he sees the irony.) But one day, when the door closes behind him, Héctor discovers he’s stumbled into a room that shouldn’t be possible. A room that connects him with two new friends from different corners of the country—and opens the door to a life-changing year full of magic, friendship, and adventure.
“Sometimes hilarious, sometimes devastating, but always full of heart, The Insiders carves out a space for us all to be our true selves.” —Kwame Mbalia, New York Times bestselling author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead and Meg Medina, this debut middle grade novel from award-winning author Mark Oshiro is a hopeful and heartfelt coming-of-age story for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in.
San Francisco and Orangevale may be in the same state, but for Héctor Muñoz, they might as well be a million miles apart. Back home, being gay didn’t mean feeling different. At Héctor’s new school, he couldn’t feel more alone.
Most days, Héctor just wishes he could disappear. And he does. Right into the janitor’s closet. (Yes, he sees the irony.) But one day, when the door closes behind him, Héctor discovers he’s stumbled into a room that shouldn’t be possible. A room that connects him with two new friends from different corners of the country—and opens the door to a life-changing year full of magic, friendship, and adventure.
“Sometimes hilarious, sometimes devastating, but always full of heart, The Insiders carves out a space for us all to be our true selves.” —Kwame Mbalia, New York Times bestselling author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 21, 2021
About the author
Mark Oshiro
52 books1,277 followersMARK OSHIRO is the queer Latinx, Hugo-nominated writer of the online Mark Does Stuff universe (Mark Reads and Mark Watches), where he analyzes book and TV series. He was the nonfiction editor of Queers Destroy Science Fiction! and the co-editor of Speculative Fiction 2015, and is the President of the Con or Bust Board of Directors. When not writing/recording reviews or editing, Oshiro engages in social activism online and offline. Anger is a Gift is his debut YA contemporary fiction novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 233 reviews
May 22, 2022
4 stars!
When Hector moves from his school in San Francisco to Orangevale, nothing really seems to come together. Most days Hector wants to disappear and hide from the school bullies, and then a magical room appears. Everything Hector needs appears in that room, including two new friends from other schools in other parts of the country. Three outsiders at their own school, they easily understand and try to help one another.
I thought this was such a wonderful queer middle grade novel. I think many kids will relate to the story of not fitting in at their own school and needing a safe place to hide from it all. I think the author tackled some tough subjects in a very respective and empathetic way. I really loved all three main characters and their chemistry with one another. I loved the touch of magic that created a safe space for the kids and wish that it existed everywhere.
When Hector moves from his school in San Francisco to Orangevale, nothing really seems to come together. Most days Hector wants to disappear and hide from the school bullies, and then a magical room appears. Everything Hector needs appears in that room, including two new friends from other schools in other parts of the country. Three outsiders at their own school, they easily understand and try to help one another.
I thought this was such a wonderful queer middle grade novel. I think many kids will relate to the story of not fitting in at their own school and needing a safe place to hide from it all. I think the author tackled some tough subjects in a very respective and empathetic way. I really loved all three main characters and their chemistry with one another. I loved the touch of magic that created a safe space for the kids and wish that it existed everywhere.
February 17, 2021
Mark Oshiro's middle-grade debut is a heartbreaking but uplifting look at the lives of young queer kids. They're empowered by community and buoyed by a touch of magic that makes this contemporary novel stand out.
Also, there's a Zoraida cameo. Spot it!
Also, there's a Zoraida cameo. Spot it!
January 19, 2022
Thank you to Harper Collins & Harper Kids for sending me a finished copy in exchange for an honest review and promotion. All opinions are my own.
4.5/5
This was a delightful middle grade! The Insiders is a middle grade contemporary about young Héctor Muñoz, who is moving to a new school when his mom gets a new job. Héctor wants to fit in and find where he belongs, but a school bully and doubtful authority figure make that task feel almost impossible. Then Héctor stumbles on a janitor's closet one day. No one can find him in there, and it becomes his own refuge. One early morning Héctor enters it, only to find someone else in the room! And they don't even go to his school. And with that a long distance friendship and a year of adventures starts.
Mark Oshiro is definitely one of my fave authors. I will read anything written by them, whatever the genre. This was a really heartwarming book that also dealt with some hard topics. The bullying Héctor goes through is not light and it triggers a lot of trauma for him. I liked how he processes what he goes through and does the best he can with his options.
The friendships that Héctor makes in this book were so sweet. Especially his friendship with Juliana and Sal, the other kids he meets through the Janitor's room. I really loved seeing these three bond and grow closer. They all are dealing with something at school and I loved how they could rely on each other.
I really loved Héctor's family too. He has such a sweet and supportive network and I'm so glad we get to see that in this novel. This book is great, I highly recommend it.
Rep: Mexican gay male MC with anxiety, biracial Black-Chinese sapphic female side character, biracial Filipinx-white nonbinary side character, BIPOC queer Hijabi female side character, Black gay male side character.
CWs: Bullying, homophobia/homomisia, lesbophobia/lesbomisia, racism. Moderate: xenophobia, islamophobia, outing, mental illness (anxiety). Minor: injury of side character.
4.5/5
This was a delightful middle grade! The Insiders is a middle grade contemporary about young Héctor Muñoz, who is moving to a new school when his mom gets a new job. Héctor wants to fit in and find where he belongs, but a school bully and doubtful authority figure make that task feel almost impossible. Then Héctor stumbles on a janitor's closet one day. No one can find him in there, and it becomes his own refuge. One early morning Héctor enters it, only to find someone else in the room! And they don't even go to his school. And with that a long distance friendship and a year of adventures starts.
Mark Oshiro is definitely one of my fave authors. I will read anything written by them, whatever the genre. This was a really heartwarming book that also dealt with some hard topics. The bullying Héctor goes through is not light and it triggers a lot of trauma for him. I liked how he processes what he goes through and does the best he can with his options.
The friendships that Héctor makes in this book were so sweet. Especially his friendship with Juliana and Sal, the other kids he meets through the Janitor's room. I really loved seeing these three bond and grow closer. They all are dealing with something at school and I loved how they could rely on each other.
I really loved Héctor's family too. He has such a sweet and supportive network and I'm so glad we get to see that in this novel. This book is great, I highly recommend it.
Rep: Mexican gay male MC with anxiety, biracial Black-Chinese sapphic female side character, biracial Filipinx-white nonbinary side character, BIPOC queer Hijabi female side character, Black gay male side character.
CWs: Bullying, homophobia/homomisia, lesbophobia/lesbomisia, racism. Moderate: xenophobia, islamophobia, outing, mental illness (anxiety). Minor: injury of side character.
May 6, 2024
I absolutely loved this book! I read it with my kids and we were all huge fans. The Insiders is a middle grade story about friendship, not fitting in, bullying, and finding safe spaces. All with a lovely speculative element! Hector is a middle-schooler who recently moved from San Francisco to the small town of Orangevale. He is Mexican and gay, and quickly attracts a relentless bully in Mike. One day, trying to run away from Mike and his goons, he discovers a janitors closet that turns out to be much more than it seems...
Because Hector is not the only kid to find refuge in the Room. Three kids from three different schools in different states all meet, become friends, and find ways to help each other. What Hector experiences is really hard, including grown ups who don't believe him when he tries to tell. But the way the story progresses is really heartwarming, and satisfying. It's also one of very few books for this age group I've found with a non-binary kid and that's amazing to have. I truly cannot say enough good things about this and my kids were both super engaged and invested in what was going to happen.
Because Hector is not the only kid to find refuge in the Room. Three kids from three different schools in different states all meet, become friends, and find ways to help each other. What Hector experiences is really hard, including grown ups who don't believe him when he tries to tell. But the way the story progresses is really heartwarming, and satisfying. It's also one of very few books for this age group I've found with a non-binary kid and that's amazing to have. I truly cannot say enough good things about this and my kids were both super engaged and invested in what was going to happen.
Want to read
March 11, 2021March 10, 2021: A contemporary queer coming-of-age story with a twist of magic. Can September be here sooner?
August 30, 2022
I think every misfit kid hopes for a magical room that will appear to take them away from the hell that is school. This was really good, and I loved the diversity, it was just a tad too long.
August 25, 2021
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Mimi Koehler
Achingly relatable and insightful to a fault, The Insiders is a love letter to anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in. With its revelatory depiction of bullying and transcending friendships, Oshiro’s magical middle-grade debut promises to become a staple in the beloved genre.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
Achingly relatable and insightful to a fault, The Insiders is a love letter to anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in. With its revelatory depiction of bullying and transcending friendships, Oshiro’s magical middle-grade debut promises to become a staple in the beloved genre.
Read the FULL REVIEW on The Nerd Daily
Shelved as 'dnf'
April 2, 2022DNF. I'm on page 67 and 12 year old Hector is getting bullied at his new school. Hector was openly gay at his last school, but Mike torments him daily. Hector seems like he is outspoken, so it is very weird he is not telling someone. A teacher catching Hector running away from Mike and his gang (again) has Hector tell the teacher that Mike and his gang have been doing this a lot. The teacher tells Hector that she will give him detention if he lies again, and the Mike is a good boy. There seems to be this magic door to a janitor's closet where Hector can hide.
I do NOT want 12 year old readers to get this trigger of Mike putting his hands on Hector with force; being bumped in the hallway to fall down; having his backpack ripped; being chased; needing to change into non-de-script clothes; teacher that won't listen to a blatant bully threat (this is grounds to be fired), and then need to be saved by a magic door/portal!
I don't really care if this ends happily-ever-after. There is already too much crap happening to this kid. And if the reader then needs magic to get out of this in real-life, what hope is there really?
If someone reading this review can convince me to finish, please let me know. I have too many other books TBR. This is a very thick youth book (375 pages) to be investing my time.
I do NOT want 12 year old readers to get this trigger of Mike putting his hands on Hector with force; being bumped in the hallway to fall down; having his backpack ripped; being chased; needing to change into non-de-script clothes; teacher that won't listen to a blatant bully threat (this is grounds to be fired), and then need to be saved by a magic door/portal!
I don't really care if this ends happily-ever-after. There is already too much crap happening to this kid. And if the reader then needs magic to get out of this in real-life, what hope is there really?
If someone reading this review can convince me to finish, please let me know. I have too many other books TBR. This is a very thick youth book (375 pages) to be investing my time.
July 27, 2021
If I could get a copy of this book for every one of my middle schoolers that have come out to me, or dropped major hints, or who I've suspected may need it, I would. There's a part of me that knows adults may think of this book a little too heavy-handed, a little too afterschool special, but I work with kids every day like the ones in the book. I know for a fact the way bullying goes unaddressed, or kids' worries go unvoiced or otherwise unheard by adults like Ms. Heath. I know for a fact from my own experience years ago what it was like to feel alone as a sole queer kid -- having friendly acquaintances who I wasn't sure I could trust with the full truth of who I was, dreaming of close, safe friendships, and a magical place to escape to. I loved this book and I think my students will adore it.
June 27, 2023
baby jenn this one’s for you
January 20, 2022
This author really knows how to get your blood pressure up! Several times I was so mad at the adults who failed Héctor and at the boys who bullied him. I wanted to jump in there and set some people straight about what is and isn't acceptable. Luckily, a magical room and new friends helped Héctor stand up for himself and know when to ask for help.
I thought this had a lot of great representation, including LGBTQ+ students and characters of various ethnicities and backgrounds. I love seeing middle grade books with a diverse cast because that's real life and everyone should be represented. The friendships in this are the best and made me happy. Middle school can be really difficult and if you can find a couple good people, it makes a big difference.
I thought this had a lot of great representation, including LGBTQ+ students and characters of various ethnicities and backgrounds. I love seeing middle grade books with a diverse cast because that's real life and everyone should be represented. The friendships in this are the best and made me happy. Middle school can be really difficult and if you can find a couple good people, it makes a big difference.
December 7, 2021
We need books like this—creative, diverse, and memorable. I’ve made it my personal mission to find books about feeling like an outsider while growing up that feature main characters who aren’t just rich cishet white boys (Holden Caulfield, I love ya, I really do, but I need to move onto others) and this book certainly checks that box.
Touching, warm, a tad frustrating for the right reasons, and overall, strong. Strongly recommended for any audiences!
Touching, warm, a tad frustrating for the right reasons, and overall, strong. Strongly recommended for any audiences!
December 9, 2023
soooo cute!! but all the bullying did kind of trigger me honestly
June 18, 2023
the sweetest bestest book rtc
July 3, 2022
I just read this entire book in a single sitting. If that’s not the sign of something great, I don’t know what is.
April 15, 2022
I enjoyed this one - I felt for Hector and hated Mike (and the teacher in the hall) with a passion. To my older eyes, there was a LOT packed into this book - all about stereotypes (re: gender, sexuality, race, religion…) and dealing with people who hate or stand by without saying anything… everything was resolved all nicey-nicey, and our middle schoolers’ lives aren’t like that. There is no magic door/closet/library/barista where our kids can get their problems solved. I do think, however, that this book will give SOME young people the words to use, the actions to try, and the mirror they may be looking for. I’m glad it’s a choice on our summer reading list.
February 6, 2022
4.5 stars
Oshiro definitely hit it out of the park in their middle grade debut! In this book, we follow the story of Héctor, who has just moved to a new school and is nervous about starting. When he starts getting bullied for being gay, a magical room starts to appear that helps him hide. It's there where he meets two students who also need a safe space: Juliana and Sal. The only catch? They all go to schools all across the country.
What I love about Oshiro's writing is that it feels so realistic. A lot of the problems that Héctor encounters are ones that many middle schoolers are going to relate to. And not being believed after getting bullied? I feel like that happens way more often than we'd like to admit. You can't help but get angry at the adults in this book because they all act so powerless to help Héctor. Or they act like they don't know what's going on. Héctor's story will definitely pull on your heartstrings.
The little friend group Héctor finds is also fantastic. Juliana and Sal were fully fleshed out characters, and they all were in each other's lives at the right time. They all help each other in different ways, and it's just so great to see. Plus, Héctor makes some new friends at his new school, and they become the support that he needs. Oh, and Héctor's Abuela is great, especially the way she lets Héctor figure out what he needs and when he needs it.
All in all, this middle grade novel is about finding your voice, about the ways that friendships can change in middle school, and about learning how to ask for help when you need it. Definitely a great addition to any middle grade collection!
Oshiro definitely hit it out of the park in their middle grade debut! In this book, we follow the story of Héctor, who has just moved to a new school and is nervous about starting. When he starts getting bullied for being gay, a magical room starts to appear that helps him hide. It's there where he meets two students who also need a safe space: Juliana and Sal. The only catch? They all go to schools all across the country.
What I love about Oshiro's writing is that it feels so realistic. A lot of the problems that Héctor encounters are ones that many middle schoolers are going to relate to. And not being believed after getting bullied? I feel like that happens way more often than we'd like to admit. You can't help but get angry at the adults in this book because they all act so powerless to help Héctor. Or they act like they don't know what's going on. Héctor's story will definitely pull on your heartstrings.
The little friend group Héctor finds is also fantastic. Juliana and Sal were fully fleshed out characters, and they all were in each other's lives at the right time. They all help each other in different ways, and it's just so great to see. Plus, Héctor makes some new friends at his new school, and they become the support that he needs. Oh, and Héctor's Abuela is great, especially the way she lets Héctor figure out what he needs and when he needs it.
All in all, this middle grade novel is about finding your voice, about the ways that friendships can change in middle school, and about learning how to ask for help when you need it. Definitely a great addition to any middle grade collection!
August 23, 2021
SUCH A WONDERFUL BOOK. i absolutely adored it. it reminded me of why i love reading middle grade. 3 outsiders from different parts of the country are brought together by a magical room that appears to them in times of need. and there is so much representation!!! the main character is gay and mexican, there’s biracial rep, non-binary rep and lesbian rep. i really loved it and i’m definitely preordering it.
December 17, 2022
I absolutely hated this book. The plot was predictable and dry. The characters are flat, and the main character was so incredibly annoying. Unfortunately this author is Co-writing Rick Riordan's next book, and let's just say I don't have high expectations for "The sun and the star." My apologies to anyone who was looking forward to reading this book like I was.
May 19, 2022
It makes me so happy that young kids can grow up with good queer representation in books!
The Insiders is an uplifting story about an openly queer boy who has just moved to a new school. At school he is bullied by other students for being gay, and he seeks refuge from the bullies in a janitor’s closet. One day he enters the closet to find the brooms and cleaning supplies have disappeared. Impossibly, the closet turns into a room, connecting him with two other kids from different schools. Together he and his new friends become friends and help each other cope with their own unique struggles.
I absolutely love the diverse and queer cast of characters in this book. Queerness is talked about in a way that is easily understandable and digestible for young people to read. I feel the author does a fantastic job of putting the reader in the characters shoes.
The friendship between the three main characters was so sweet and uplifting. I loved how they were so devoted to helping each other, and how respectful they were.
The book also has great depictions of supportive families to lgbtq youth. Most of all I love the overlying message of the importance of being true to yourself, which is presented on multiple accounts throughout the book.
The Insiders is an uplifting story about an openly queer boy who has just moved to a new school. At school he is bullied by other students for being gay, and he seeks refuge from the bullies in a janitor’s closet. One day he enters the closet to find the brooms and cleaning supplies have disappeared. Impossibly, the closet turns into a room, connecting him with two other kids from different schools. Together he and his new friends become friends and help each other cope with their own unique struggles.
I absolutely love the diverse and queer cast of characters in this book. Queerness is talked about in a way that is easily understandable and digestible for young people to read. I feel the author does a fantastic job of putting the reader in the characters shoes.
The friendship between the three main characters was so sweet and uplifting. I loved how they were so devoted to helping each other, and how respectful they were.
The book also has great depictions of supportive families to lgbtq youth. Most of all I love the overlying message of the importance of being true to yourself, which is presented on multiple accounts throughout the book.
June 12, 2022
i’ve said this before but queer middle grade books are so pure and full of joy and beautiful my heart is so happy with this book
December 11, 2022
This is such a beautiful book about friendship, being who you are, and standing up for yourself and those who you care for. I talk about this book in this Queer Lit Readathon wrap up.
December 21, 2021
When Héctor Muñoz and his family move to Orangevale, he soon realizes how different it is from his home back in San Francisco. Him being gay was never a big deal back home, but now kids like Mike, the schools bully makes him feel like he doesn’t belong. Héctor is soon stuck with this feeling of being different, even having to sit at the Table of Misfits at lunch, literally the table for the kids who don’t fit in. To escape the bullying, he resorts to hiding in the janitor's closet, fully aware of the irony of it all. At first, it seems like a normal closet, but one day it transforms into a room with everything he could ever want such as his video games, a couch, even horchata made by his abuela! Juliana and Sal, two other kids from completely different parts of the country soon find the Room too for different reasons. The three kids aren’t sure how this happened, but as they unlock more knowledge about this mysterious room and why it has everything they need, Héctor and his new friends will have a wild adventure full of fun, trouble, and maybe some help from a magical room.
Content warning: please read this with caution, the bully in this book is one of the most intense bullies I’ve ever seen in a book.
This book was incredible! I don’t remember the last time I screamed, laughed, and cried within the same few chapters of a book, so this was a fun read. Héctor, Juliana, Sal, and the Table of Misfits now hold a special place in my heart. There are some characters to be on the lookout for if you’re a bookworm. I also thought it was cool to read a middle grade book where they already know their LGBTQ+ identity and were out before the start of the book. This book also does a great job of tackling homophobia, racism, and transphobia. I highly recommend “The Insiders” if you enjoy magic realism. And theater kids will also devour this book.
Content warning: please read this with caution, the bully in this book is one of the most intense bullies I’ve ever seen in a book.
This book was incredible! I don’t remember the last time I screamed, laughed, and cried within the same few chapters of a book, so this was a fun read. Héctor, Juliana, Sal, and the Table of Misfits now hold a special place in my heart. There are some characters to be on the lookout for if you’re a bookworm. I also thought it was cool to read a middle grade book where they already know their LGBTQ+ identity and were out before the start of the book. This book also does a great job of tackling homophobia, racism, and transphobia. I highly recommend “The Insiders” if you enjoy magic realism. And theater kids will also devour this book.
July 6, 2023
I read a lot of middle grade novels as an upper elementary teacher and as a parent of a tween and teen, and while I think the subject matter here and the characters are so important to have represented (not just for the kids who are LGBTQ, but to help all kids to try to understand others’ perspectives), this book fell flat for me. The characters often talked like little adults when they were having important conversations, and it reminded me constantly of trying to teach SEL lessons and strategies to my kids only to have them say, “but no one actually talks like that” or “but it (the mean behavior) doesn’t really happen as obviously as that” or “it never works out as perfectly as that.” I still think there is an audience for it because if we never model how to solve conflicts, they really never will learn to talk like that and work things out maturely, but those issues still made the book less enjoyable to me. Also this book is the poster child for the lesson that if the main characters would just talk to a trusted adult (the key word here being trusted), the problems would have been solved near the beginning of the book.
April 29, 2023
Funny and loving, crushing and heartbreaking. What a great middle school book!
Tragically, this is exactly the type of book that gets some people's undies in a twist because of content.
How truly awful to think that this amazing book won't get to the kid who really needs it!
(From dust jacket)
Three kids who don't belong.
A room that shouldn't exist.
A year that will change everything.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Tragically, this is exactly the type of book that gets some people's undies in a twist because of content.
How truly awful to think that this amazing book won't get to the kid who really needs it!
(From dust jacket)
Three kids who don't belong.
A room that shouldn't exist.
A year that will change everything.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
September 23, 2021
4.25/5
September 21, 2022
super sweet middle-grade book with good representation, very much cozy / sweet vibes all around
May 10, 2023
why am I crying 😭
May 19, 2022
A fantastic read that would be great for any kid who has ever experienced being bullied. Lots of good messages in this one.
April 19, 2022
“‘You lost in there?’
‘Huh?’ he said.
‘You just seem so quiet lately,’ she said. ‘My mom always says that when people get like that, it’s because the world inside is more interesting than the one outside.’”
I was happily reading through this book when all of a sudden I realized this book was fantasy. What?! This was news to me. Yet another Project LIT book I went into completely blind because it's Project LIT - I already know I'm (probably) going to enjoy it. I really enjoyed this story and I think it's a fantastic story to share with young readers. Not only is it rooted in realistic fiction but it shares the very harmful effects of bullying and conversely, how welcoming and inclusive peers can be, if you can only find them.
The Insiders tells the story of Héctor who has recently moved from San Francisco to a smaller town in northern California. Héctor knows who he is: he was actively involved in the drama department at his old school, had a solid group of friends, was out to his friends and family, and dressed however he saw fit. But now in Orangevale, his peers aren't as accepting and Héctor finds himself the latest target of the school bullies. The bullying in this book was quite nasty and extreme and I found myself carrying some emotional damage from Héctor's experience. As Héctor tries to find his place in Orangevale, he discovers a magical janitor's closet. Not only does it show up whenever and wherever Héctor needs, it also supplies Héctor with what he needs: clean clothes, a glass of water, even a bed for him to nap on. When Héctor discovers two other bullied kids in the closet, he realizes the closet provides a safe outlet for kids across the country who are not accepted in their schools and need a safe haven. Héctor makes fast friends with Juliana and Sal. The three of them meet up almost daily and learn to support each other through their individual struggles.
This book deals with bullying, how to develop relationships with found friends who may not be located close to you geographically, how to talk with your parents about challenging topics, and how to stand up for yourself. I loved the friendships Héctor makes with Juliana and Sal and how the three of them support each other through whatever it is they are going through. There is great representation in this book and I think many young people will see themselves in one of the main characters. I did find it a little odd that Héctor lost touch with his friends from San Francisco so quickly. They seemed like such a great group of friends at the beginning of the book but this just goes to show that moving far away can sever even the strongest of friendships. This is a strong addition to the Project LIT collection and one upper elementary and middle grade readers will devour.
TW: bullying, racism, homophobia, lesbophobia, xenophobia, islamophobia, outing, emotional and physical abuse
‘Huh?’ he said.
‘You just seem so quiet lately,’ she said. ‘My mom always says that when people get like that, it’s because the world inside is more interesting than the one outside.’”
I was happily reading through this book when all of a sudden I realized this book was fantasy. What?! This was news to me. Yet another Project LIT book I went into completely blind because it's Project LIT - I already know I'm (probably) going to enjoy it. I really enjoyed this story and I think it's a fantastic story to share with young readers. Not only is it rooted in realistic fiction but it shares the very harmful effects of bullying and conversely, how welcoming and inclusive peers can be, if you can only find them.
The Insiders tells the story of Héctor who has recently moved from San Francisco to a smaller town in northern California. Héctor knows who he is: he was actively involved in the drama department at his old school, had a solid group of friends, was out to his friends and family, and dressed however he saw fit. But now in Orangevale, his peers aren't as accepting and Héctor finds himself the latest target of the school bullies. The bullying in this book was quite nasty and extreme and I found myself carrying some emotional damage from Héctor's experience. As Héctor tries to find his place in Orangevale, he discovers a magical janitor's closet. Not only does it show up whenever and wherever Héctor needs, it also supplies Héctor with what he needs: clean clothes, a glass of water, even a bed for him to nap on. When Héctor discovers two other bullied kids in the closet, he realizes the closet provides a safe outlet for kids across the country who are not accepted in their schools and need a safe haven. Héctor makes fast friends with Juliana and Sal. The three of them meet up almost daily and learn to support each other through their individual struggles.
This book deals with bullying, how to develop relationships with found friends who may not be located close to you geographically, how to talk with your parents about challenging topics, and how to stand up for yourself. I loved the friendships Héctor makes with Juliana and Sal and how the three of them support each other through whatever it is they are going through. There is great representation in this book and I think many young people will see themselves in one of the main characters. I did find it a little odd that Héctor lost touch with his friends from San Francisco so quickly. They seemed like such a great group of friends at the beginning of the book but this just goes to show that moving far away can sever even the strongest of friendships. This is a strong addition to the Project LIT collection and one upper elementary and middle grade readers will devour.
TW: bullying, racism, homophobia, lesbophobia, xenophobia, islamophobia, outing, emotional and physical abuse
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