Inspiring story about a gay middle school boy, Hector Munoz, and how he struggles with bullying in his new school in Orangevale, CA. Coming from San Francisco, where he felt very comfortable, he struggles with making friends and dealing with the school bully. He runs and hides in a janitor's closet, which turns out to be a bit magical. He ends up making friends with other kids from around the country who are also using rooms in their school to escape bad situations, and find themselves in magical rooms as well. The room gives them what they need, and what they most needed was friendship. Recommended by the author for ages 8-12 but I think this is a novel that could be read by any age, I think it is more likely to be interesting to kids 10+ though, but all the way through to adulthood.

contemporary. Héctor has moved from San Francisco to Orangevale, CA, and is being bullied for his sexuality and personality -- escapes to a magical room. Truly one of those books that you open and fall into -- appropriate, considering the magic door/room thing, but still true. Héctor is a wonderful character, with a splendid and loving family. The way the kids support each other in the room is also excellent, although I deeply wish that the school adults had been less terrible and that Héctor had had other resources easily available to him. I wish that for all LGBTQIA+ kids, and for any kids who are struggling with bullies. ( )

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of this book!

Going into this book, I was a bit biased, as Mark Oshiro’s book “Anger is a Gift” was so strong and impactful, and I was excited to read “The Insiders. Overall, “The Insiders” is a solid middle grade/children’s book about belonging, change, and finding a safe/brave space in and outside of school.

The book centers on Hector Munoz (he/him). Hector decides to wear glitter on his first day at his new school to let people know what they are in for, as he is extremely proud of his drama background, and being gay. Once he gets to school he sits at the table with the Misfits, a group of students who don’t quite fit into any other mold, and who have all been bullied. Hector is targeted by the school bully, and while at first he accepts this as part of being new, the trauma begins to impact him, and he feels unsafe at school. During one particularly bad day, a door appears, leading to a Room containing his favorite beverage (Abuela’s horchata) and a place to hide.

Strangely enough, the Room has no care for time zones or time itself, and one day Hector comes across Juliana (she/her), who lives in Charleston, SC, and finds that she is also using the room as a safe space. The bullying at Hector’s school intensifies, and Hector begins to spend more and more time in the Room. One day, after having pudding thrown at him, Hector enters the Room and finds that it has expanded. AND there is now a third person, Sal (they/them) from Phoenix, AZ. The three grow a strong friendship full of real struggles, but also real progress, which will have the reader hooked.

Overall, I would recommend this book to middle school and (younger) high school audiences, and would keep it in the classroom. I think for the right student, this book could be highly relatable and support them in reflecting on their place in the world.
( )

Héctor Muñoz has just moved with his mami and papi from the Bay Area to Orangedale, outside of Sacramento, and feels as though he's landed on a different planet. At lunch, he sits with a few kids who call themselves the Misfits, and almost immediately, Mike and his "minions" begin bullying Héctor. He needs a safe space - and he finds one...in a janitor's closet that turns out to be a magical Room, a safe haven for Héctor as well as Juliana (from Charleston, SC) and Sal (from Phoenix, AZ). How does the room appear and disappear? How does it move around the school? How does it change time? Héctor and the others wonder about these questions, of course, but they answer the most important one quickly: the Room appears for them when and where they need it (a la the Room of Requirement, although there is no Harry Potter reference). And, they need each other. Ultimately, after a talk with his abuela, Héctor realizes it's okay to ask for help, and with the help of the Misfits and Sal and Juliana, he exposes Mike's bullying to the whole school, including administration, in a dramatic way.

See also: Sal & Gabi by Carlos Hernandez

"I need to feel like I belong." (Sal to the Room, Juliana, and Héctor, 167)

No one else ever seemed as messed up as he felt. (171)

No one ever told you how tiring it was not to fit in. (221)

When he was done, he felt both exhausted...and lighter. It was as if some massive stone had been lifted out of his chest and cast away.
He guessed this was what telling the truth felt like. (314) ( )

This book has some standard cliches (the one bully, teachers who do not believe the main character, school groups and the new kid in school), but it’s filled with the sadness, humour, frustration and relatability that every queer or poc person can relate to. I certainly did.
It’s obviously written by an author who has experienced them himself and Mark Oshiro did a great job of putting a 12-14 year old’s feelings into a book.
I hope a lot of queer and/or poc middle graders read this ( )