Hide and Seeker

Justin hasn't seen his friend Zee for a year, since Zee disappeared without explanation. When Zee returns, he's different - withdrawn and haunted by something he won't discuss. At a welcome-back party for Zee, the kids play a game of hide-and-seek that takes a dark turn. The players begin experiencing strange events and disappearances connected to an entity known as "the Seeker." The kids must uncover the truth about the Seeker while fighting to save themselves and their missing friends. The story moves between the real world and a shadowy alternate dimension where nothing is quite what it seems. This middle-grade horror novel explores themes of friendship, courage, and the price of holding onto painful memories. The narrative examines how children process grief and fear while building tension through supernatural elements.

Readers find this middle-grade horror novel delivers genuine scares while exploring themes of friendship and grief. The story maintains suspense through a mix of real-world and supernatural threats. Liked: - Atmospheric tension and creepy moments - Authentic portrayal of tween friendships and group dynamics - Character development, especially protagonist Justin - Representation of diverse characters without making it the focus - Balances scares with deeper emotional themes Disliked: - Some readers found the pacing slow in the first third - Confusion about certain plot elements and rules of the supernatural game - A few felt the ending wrapped up too quickly Ratings: Goodreads: 4.1/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (300+ ratings) Kirkus Reviews: Starred Review Common reader comment: "Perfect level of scary for middle school readers - creates tension without being too disturbing or graphic."

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🌟 Hide and Seeker explores themes of childhood trauma through the lens of a supernatural horror story, making difficult topics accessible to middle-grade readers 🎮 The game of Hide and Seek in the book is transformed from an innocent children's pastime into a terrifying alternate dimension called the In-Between 📚 Author Daka Hermon worked in entertainment marketing for over 15 years before publishing her debut novel Hide and Seeker in 2020 🏆 The book was nominated for the 2021 Sunshine State Young Readers Award, a prestigious program that encourages Florida students to read independently 🌍 The story draws inspiration from various cultural folktales about missing children and incorporates elements of urban legends that have been passed down through generations