The Hidden Boy (Bell Hoot Fables)
Grade 4–8—Little do Bea and her family know what they're in for when they win "the trip of a lifetime" to Bell Hoot. While on their way to their destination, Bea's brother mysteriously disappears. As they search for Theo in Bell Hoot, they learn that the Ledbetters, an outcast clan, want to find him just as much as they do. It seems that it's their turn to foster the eldest son of a newly arrived family. But Bea doesn't think that is such a great idea, so it's a race to find who's holding Theo captive and why. Berkeley has created an alternative world that buzzes with excitement. Bell Hoot, while small enough for everyone to know everyone else, is expansive enough to house numerous secrets and hiding places. While the setup raises a lot of unanswered questions, and the story's foundation lacks a firm basis, the quirky characters mature throughout the novel and learn to find their own gifts while coming to value one another. Bea learns that she's important and has a voice, and that she has a special talent, which is instrumental in rescuing Theo.Hidden Boywill appeal to imaginative readers and will lead them to want to know more about these unusual people.—Delia Carruthers, Roxbury Public Library, Succasunna, NJ(c) Copyright 2010.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.