How to Disappear Completely by Ali Standish
Published by HarperCollins on April 28, 2020
ISBN: 0062893289
Pages: 384
Genres: Fantasy, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads

Emma notices white spots on her skin soon after her beloved grandmother dies. On top of being the new kid at school, she is diagnosed with vitiligo — a loss of color in the skin. As she learns to live with her new condition and the bullying that results, she learns more about her grandmother and the fantastical stories she shared with Emma. Emma and her grandmother spent lots of time in the nearby spinney (a small forest) and wrote stories together in a journal hidden in a tree hollow. After her grandmother dies, someone keeps writing with Emma. With the help of her new friend Fina, Emma tries to identify the mysterious writer. Readers will enjoy the fairy tale that unfolds in the journal. This is a beautifully written gentle middle grade book about family, family secrets, and resilience.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham