102 Days of Lying about Lauren

A promising story whose central premise demands deeper exploration.

Gr 3-7--When she's abandoned by her mother at an amusement park, 12-year-old Mouse (also known as Lauren) spends her days pretending to be a park employee, hanging out with her friend Tanner, trying to blend in, and desperately avoiding thinking about her mother. For 102 days, it's been working: she sleeps undetected on the fourth floor of the Haunted House of Horrors, eats the cinnamon raisin bagels left out for breakfast for the park's "ghost," and follows five carefully constructed rules (the most important one is "Pretend to know more than you do"). But when she is spotted by someone who knows her real name and isn't easy to avoid, Mouse can't help but panic. This coincides with a dangerous storm at the park that leaves Tanner injured, and Mouse has to decide between outing herself or helping her friend. A lively voice and ingenuity carry this exciting story that is filled with humor and heart. Mouse discovers that people aren't always what they seem and that sometimes, breaking the rules is the best way to move forward. VERDICT Memorable, original, and engaging. Recommended for all libraries.--Rebecca Kirshenbaum

Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Having been abandoned by her mother at America's most famous amusement park, in Florida, tall-for-her-age 12-year-old Lauren "Mouse" Suszek hides in plain sight by posing as a 16-year-old park employee. She manages the deception admirably for the titular 102 days, living at the top of the Haunted House of Horrors and logging her self-imposed "Rules to Live By" and "Lies Told." She even befriends Tanner, a park employee who's also son to the park's CEO, and whose sister bears a striking resemblance to Mouse. But Mouse's luck changes quickly when Cat, a seventh grader who uses a cane, arrives and claims to be Mouse's cousin just as a tornado forces everyone in the park to take shelter. Huddled in an unstable building, Mouse struggles to confront her grief and anger alongside a now-injured Tanner, who is navigating his own tumultuous family dynamic, and suspicious but concerned Cat. Industrious Mouse's colloquial first-person voice layers her feelings about her circumstances with the logistics around her solo survival, resulting in a moving debut from Jortner that retains a sense of adventure while lightly exploring an experience of abandonment. Protagonists cue as white; the secondary cast is racially diverse. Ages 8-12. Agent: Rena Rossner, Deborah Harris Agency. (June)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Mouse is a main character to root for—with plenty of spunk, humor, and heart. —Ben Guterson, Edgar Award-nominated author of Winterhouse

Hilarious, absorbing, and immensely endearing, here is a story that will have your whole heart. This book is alive with 'Park Magic.' —Chris Baron, author of Sydney Taylor Notable Book The Magical Imperfect

Told with the feel of a classic, 102 Days of Lying about Lauren is a truly special book full of hope, friendship, and heart—all the things you need to weather the worst of storms. —Ally Malinenko, author of Ghost Girl