Who is really your friend?

 

The School for Whatnots

By Margaret Peterson Haddix

Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (March 1, 2022)
Hardcover: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 0062838490
ISBN-13: 978-0062838490
Reading age: 8 - 12 years
Grade level: 3 – 7
 
Publisher’s Blurb:
No matter what anyone tells you, I’m real.

 That’s what the note says that Max finds under his keyboard.

He knows that his best friend, Josie, wrote it. He’d know her handwriting anywhere. But why she wrote it—and what it means—remains a mystery.

 Ever since they met in kindergarten, Max and Josie have been inseparable. Until the summer after fifth grade, when Josie disappears, leaving only a note, and whispering something about “whatnot rules.”

 But why would Max ever think that Josie wasn’t real? And what are whatnots?

As Max sets to uncover what happened to Josie—and what she is or isn’t—little does he know that she’s fighting to find him again, too. But there are forces trying to keep Max and Josie from ever seeing each other again. Because Josie wasn’t supposed to be real.

 This middle grade thriller from Margaret Peterson Haddix delves into the power of privilege, the importance of true friendship, and the question of humanity and identity. Because when anyone could be a whatnot, what makes a person a real friend—or real at all?

 My Thoughts:

This book was a lot of fun to read. The narrative style and tone were engaging. The narrator asides kept things going well. The narrator is only semi-reliable—and we find out why about two-thirds of the way through.

 Although the blurb says the book is about Max, I find that Josie may be an even more important character.

 While Max doesn’t know that the children he goes to school with are androids, called “Whatnots”, and the revelation is a painful one, there are even more deceptions in play. Josie, his best friend since the first day of kindergarten, is not a Whatnot. Rather, she was born in poverty and her father arranged for her to pretend to be a Whatnot in order to receive an education that he couldn’t afford. For six years, they only get to spend three weeks a year together during the summer. Josie lives “alone”, although someone appears to be looking after her to a degree.

 But there are still more revelations, which I won’t go into here. Haddix provides us with one surprise after another, and they are interconnected.

 There has been some comparison to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a story which the children themselves mention. And yes, it’s definitely there. But the outcome differs.

 This is a story about wealth and privilege, poverty, kindness, bullying, and ultimately, what friendship truly means.

 Possible Objectionable Material:

Some scenes near the end could be frightening. Max, a 5^th grader, sneaks out of his house alone. Josie lives all alone under the school. Parents and others lie to children. Bullies.

 Who Might Like This Book:

This is perfect for the intended age group. Anyone who likes whimsy, mystery, and books about friends. And yes, those who like Roald Dahl’s books.

 Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing both an ARC and an audio ARC of the book. I far prefer reading to listening, so was grateful to add the book version after receiving the audio version!