From the Publisher
"Josie and Max find out the truth behind the Whatnot Corporation, leading them to unravel a mystery that has them confronting the true meaning of friendship and reconciling the inequalities the company has prospered from and contributed to. The omniscient narrator and strong pacing will keep readers engaged and racing to the end. Meanwhile, the well-rounded characters will elicit empathy and inspire discussion of systemic socio-economic inequalities. An intriguing novel that highlights social class disparities and the importance of friendship." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"An innovative story of friendship with touches of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery, along with a heavy, dark dose of capitalism. The thought-provoking plot exposes the glaring disparities between the haves and the have-nots. VERDICT A solid purchase with appeal for older readers; recommended for any library, but especially those where sci-fi and mysteries circulate well." — School Library Journal
"Haddix offers a scarily realistic alternate reality, with the seemingly infinite lengths the rich will go to ensure a perfect world for themselves at the expenses of others and the things parents will do to protect their children. A secretive narrator keeps a sense of intrigue, heightening the tension. The book raises questions that will have the proverbial cogs turning long after the book ends." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Less a story about androids than one about children, friendship, and economic inequality, the narrative poses and solves a series of puzzles that leads to a Westing Game–style confrontation with Gonzagaga herself . . . Feel-good wish-fulfillment fantasy." — Horn Book Magazine
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Haddix offers a scarily realistic alternate reality, with the seemingly infinite lengths the rich will go to ensure a perfect world for themselves at the expenses of others and the things parents will do to protect their children. A secretive narrator keeps a sense of intrigue, heightening the tension. The book raises questions that will have the proverbial cogs turning long after the book ends."
Horn Book Magazine
"Less a story about androids than one about children, friendship, and economic inequality, the narrative poses and solves a series of puzzles that leads to a Westing Game–style confrontation with Gonzagaga herself . . . Feel-good wish-fulfillment fantasy."
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2021-12-15
Two 11-year-old children fight to preserve their friendship against the wishes of an unethical company.
Maximilian J. Sterling was born into wealth with billionaire parents who wanted to protect him from greedy people and show him he had value outside of his riches. Josie experienced loss the moment she entered the world: Her mother died in childbirth, leaving her to be raised in poverty by her grieving father, whose only wish is that she have more opportunities than he did. Each parent makes a deal with a petite woman dressed all in black from the Whatnot Corporation—the company responsible for creating well-behaved android children that allow rich kids to thrive in controlled environments. Max attends a school where he is surrounded by whatnots—and Josie, who is pretending to be a whatnot so that she may receive a better education than her father could afford. Life goes according to plan until Josie and Max find out the truth behind the Whatnot Corporation, leading them to unravel a mystery that has them confronting the true meaning of friendship and reconciling the inequalities the company has prospered from and contributed to. The omniscient narrator and strong pacing will keep readers engaged and racing to the end. Meanwhile, the well-rounded characters will elicit empathy and inspire discussion of systemic socio-economic inequalities. Max and Josie are White; there is some racial diversity among side characters.
An intriguing novel that highlights social class disparities and the importance of friendship. (Mystery. 8-12)
