A review by betweentheshelves
The Insiders by Mark Oshiro

emotional hopeful medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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!
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