Mars Patel #1: The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel by Sheelah Chari

My name is Mars, and kids all over the world are disappearing, including my friends Aurora and Jonas. Does it have anything to do with Oliver Pruitt and his school, Pruitt Prep? I love listening to his podcasts, but it feels like I'm hearing warnings that affect our lives at H.G. Wells Middle School. The podcast said something big was going to happen, and then our school had a Code Red. Is Pruitt helping us for some reason? If so, why do I also feel like he's a dangerous man with a secret plan? Everyone at school, including the principal and teachers, is anxiously preparing for the upcoming GIFT that will determine which students are accepted to Pruitt Prep. Like all kids, I've always wanted to attend the school, but now I'm not so sure. I promised to find my missing friends, and I never break a promise.

I liked this book, but it left me wanting a bit more. I enjoyed the loyalty displayed by Mars and his friends, and they each had an ability to make them unique. JP was the athletic one, but he/she was dealing with a gender-identity question. The author used pronouns like they and their when referring to JP. Toothpick was the brainy one and provided knowledge and inventions to the group. Caddie could sense the feelings and thoughts of others, and Mars especially needed to adapt to this ability. He had unexpected feelings toward Caddie that she knew about before he even had time to think of them. I wish the author had taken more time to develop the characters, since it was difficult to make connections. Their lives beyond the group were vague. Aurora's character was strange, because she was never part of the actual story. She was the focus of the plot's conflict, but she didn't interact with the other characters. Pruitt's role was compelling because it wasn't clear if he was a protagonist or an antagonist. I didn't care for the book's resolution, since it seemed it was only a stepping stone to the sequel. I guess the conflict was resolved, but many important questions remained. Overall, I enjoyed the book, so give it a shot. Perhaps my concerns won't affect you in the same way.