10/04/2021
Twelve-year-old Katrina Davis, who is of Cuban descent, inadvertently uncovers a family secret—and the reason her family has been constantly on the run for nearly three years, since her father was involved in “bringing down one of the most notorious drug cartels in North America.” Because a car accident wiped all of her memories from before she was 10, life in the witness protection program—changing names, keeping distant, never getting settled—is all Katrina knows, aside from fragmented recollections and overheard conversations between her research scientist parents. But when a photo with Katrina’s father in the background gets posted online, she learns about the secrets and lies her parents have been maintaining. She befriends 13-year-old Parker Jimenez, an expert computer hacker of Dominican heritage who is in foster care, and the pair sets off to find the truth about Katrina, her parents, and why they’re on the run. Along the way, they must rely on Agent X, the family’s witness protection program contact. Though some repetitive explanations hinder the otherwise quick pacing, Katrina’s fight for the truth makes for an entertaining read full of twists and intrigue. Ages 8–12. (Oct.)
Praise for Concealed:
2022 Edgar Award Winner for Best Juvenile Mystery!
"A twisty thrill-ride that will leave you on the edge of your seat!" — Ally Carter, New York Times bestselling author of The Gallagher Girls series
"A masterful adventure with an authentic middle-grade voice about the power of identity and the journey to figure out who you really are." —Alyson Gerber, critically-acclaimed author of Taking Up Space
"A pitch-perfect, pulse-pounding adventure with unexpected twists." —James Ponti, New York Times bestselling author of City Spies
"An action-adventure perfect for today's middle grade reader: techy, twisty, and smart. Each new page brings reveals that change the entire game. Don't miss this one!" —Jake Burt, award-winning author of Greetings From Witness Protection
"Gripping. Brimming with knotty twists and eccentric turns." —Kirkus Reviews
"Katrina's fight for the truth makes for an entertaining read full of twists and intrigue." —Publishers Weekly
"This well-developed page turner will keep listeners on the edge of their seat." —School Library Journal (audiobook review)
"A gripping, fast-paced story full of twists and suspense. This will have readers guessing what is truth and what is a lie right until the very end. Hand to fans of Gordon Korman's Masterminds series." —Booklist
"Fast and furious." —School Library Journal
12/03/2021
Gr 5 Up—At almost 13 years old, an anonymous girl remembers nothing from before the accident. The girl and her parents are never in one place for very long, changing names as well as locations. The only constant is the first initial used by her mom and dad, so she makes up names in alphabetical order with each change of location. When her family moves into a trailer park, the girl introduces herself as Katrina to a neighbor boy. Computer-whiz Parker and Katrina quickly become friends and begin an adventure that not only uncovers her true background; it recovers her missing parents (snatched up by an unscrupulous and greedy bad guy with unlimited resources), uncovers a nefarious plot involving medical experimentation, and reveals that she and her just-found twin have extraordinary potential. It's all plot, fast and furious, with characters that move things along. It ends with a contemporary twist (the kids turn to social media to maintain their safety from the potentially lingering, unscrupulous villains) with a few surprises along the way. VERDICT This modern thriller will be useful for school and public libraries that need predictably satisfying book bait to encourage tween readers.—Maria B. Salvadore
2021-09-01
On the run to elude dastardly forces, a young amnesiac girl must unlock the mysteries of her past to save herself and her family.
Three years in the witness protection program—involving relocations, name changes, and secrets—have taken a toll on 12-year-old Katrina Davis. Unable to recall memories from before the age of 10, Katrina knows little about her life on the run other than the fact that a notorious drug cartel wants to destroy them thanks to her father’s involvement in their downfall. But mental snapshots from Katrina’s blurred past and moments of eavesdropping on her parents’ whispered discussions keep raising questions about her parents’ research scientist pasts and the real reasons behind their covert lifestyle. When her father disappears and armed men kidnap her mother, Katrina flees to a safe house with her new friend Parker Jimenez, a young computer hacker with his share of secrets. There, the duo meets Agent X, an alleged ally of Katrina’s parents. As Katrina races to reunite with her family, she discovers the truth behind her broken memories. Brimming with the knotty twists and eccentric turns found in any good page-turner, Gonzalez’s latest largely fulfills its promise of nefarious, science-based intrigue; bombastic characters; and melodrama. Only a bit of uneven pacing and a rather disappointing conclusion keep this tale of thrills from truly achieving greatness. Katrina and Parker have Cuban and Dominican heritage, respectively.
Gripping. (author's note) (Thriller. 8-12)
Narrator Rebecca Soler's strong characterizations and deft pacing carry listeners swiftly through Christina Diaz Gonzalez's thrilling middle-grade mystery. Katrina lives off the grid, changing cities, names, and lives every few months so she and her parents won't get caught—but she doesn't know why. When her parents are kidnapped, she has to trust a tech-savvy new friend and a mysterious family contact and rely on her survival skills to save her parents and uncover the truth about her past. Soler's chilling delivery and sizable range enhance the powerful imagery and layered characters in Gonzalez's story, which explores the nature of family, identity, scientific discovery, and selfhood through the lens of high-stakes adventure. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine
Narrator Rebecca Soler's strong characterizations and deft pacing carry listeners swiftly through Christina Diaz Gonzalez's thrilling middle-grade mystery. Katrina lives off the grid, changing cities, names, and lives every few months so she and her parents won't get caught—but she doesn't know why. When her parents are kidnapped, she has to trust a tech-savvy new friend and a mysterious family contact and rely on her survival skills to save her parents and uncover the truth about her past. Soler's chilling delivery and sizable range enhance the powerful imagery and layered characters in Gonzalez's story, which explores the nature of family, identity, scientific discovery, and selfhood through the lens of high-stakes adventure. K.S.B. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine