The Insiders

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year * An ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 Title for Young Readers

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 friendship, adventure, and just a little bit of magic.

"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

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280 pages

Average rating: 9

3 RATINGS

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1 REVIEW

Community Reviews

Kelly5013
Feb 25, 2022
9/10 stars
🎧AUDIO REVIEW🎧 I am not going to lie... I had some pretty high expectations going into this book. And they were not met. That doesn't mean that I didn't like it, it just wasn't what I was expecting. That being said, I really did enjoy it. The relationship between Kash and Baily was kind of odd, and when they transitioned into that relationship it felt off for me. It didn't flow together that well..... well come to find out that you get a bit of insight as to WHY it seemed that way later in the story. I had a pretty good idea who the villain of the story would be, but I will also say that I thought others were going to have been involved that were not, so that was an interesting twist. I am slightly annoyed that there was someone toward the beginning of the story that seemed to be an ally, and she seems to recognize him in others later on, but we didn't find out who the heck he was! (unless I missed that in the scene with all the other revelations). This story did end on a cliffhanger, but not one that has me throwing my reading device. I will continue with the trilogy because I need to know what else is in store for these 2. I wasn't terribly impressed with the narration.... I like her voice, but there was something that just didn't click well with me.... I would still listen to the other books. Story 🌟🌟🌟🌟 Spice 🔥🔥🔥 Swoon 😍😍😍 Angst 💔💔 Narration 👏👏👏

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