by Lois Lowry
First sentence: “Later — much later, when she was grown — Tessa remembered those weeks when she was fourteen years old.”
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Review copy provided by the publisher
Release date: September 29, 2026
Content: There are some unsettling parts. It will be in the Middle Grade (grades 3-5) section of the bookstore.

One day, Tessa’s twin brother Theo just up and disappears. No clue as to where he went, and the government just erases him from the records. It’s a world where the government is run by a fascist dictator, who has outlawed books, music, and pretty much all joy. And then, her next-door neighbor is taken away to Elder Care (she’s 134!) and leaves Tessa with a key that unlocks a secret closet where Miriam’s secret stash of contraband books is.

From there, things get… odd… as Tessa’s parents take over. Her dad’s been working on some sort of secret means of transportation, and the three of them head to Building 903 where all the books are kept, in order to figure out the connection between the books and Theo’s disappearance.

To be honest, once Tessa’s parents got involved, I stopped being interested. I expected more from Lowry, who should know that a middle grade book is where the main character is 11 or 12 (not 14! Though she acted so much younger) and they propel the action, no matter how unbelievable. I was very disappointed at all the exposition (Tessa’s dad goes on for PAGES) and the absolute lack of action from Tessa. What’s the point of having a child as a main character if all the adults do all the work? It’s dumb. I can understand she wanted to write a book about the dangers of book banning and the importance of stories, but this book wasn’t it.

Tragic.