The Insiders
Written by Mark Oshiro
Published by HarperCollins
San Francisco and Orangevale may be in the same state, but for Héctor Muñoz, they might as well be a million miles apart. Back home, being gay didn’t mean feeling different. At Héctor’s new school, he couldn’t feel more alone.
Most days, Héctor just wishes he could disappear. And he does. Right into the janitor’s closet. (Yes, he sees the irony.) But one day, when the door closes behind him, Héctor discovers he’s stumbled into a room that shouldn’t be possible. A room that connects him with two new friends from different corners of the country—and opens the door to a life-changing year full of friendship, adventure, and just a little bit of magic.
Primary ISBN: 9780063008106
Publication Date: September 2021
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, eBook
Middle Grade, Age 08 or older
Community Represented: Chinese/Chinese American, Filipino/Filipino American, Mexican/Mexican American
Themes: Accolades & Awards, Accolades & Awards: Starred Review, Coming of Age, Cross-Group Friendship, Discrimination: Gender and Sexual, Discrimination: Racial, Family Relationship: Grandparents, Family Relationship: Parents, Format: Audiobook, Genre: Fantasy & Folklore, Identity: Multiracial, LGBTQIA+, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Trauma & Healing, Welcoming by Individual
Setting: United States (Orangevale CA, South Carolina, Arizona)
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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