WHAT THE OTHER THREE DON'T KNOW by Spencer Hyde

WHAT THE OTHER THREE DON'T KNOW by Spencer Hyde. This story still leaves me with an unsettled feeling. Three teens are thrown together for a school trip that I didn't quite understand. It was for a class but I have never heard of a class that required that type of trip in high school. I realize it's fiction, but . . . The different groups that each of the kids came from sure made for an interesting group. Then the secrets each of them had added to the mix. It showed very well that we don't know what the person standing next to us is struggling with or what guilt they may be hiding or what they don't want others to know. I though it showed very well what can happen when we open up to those around us and the different support we can give one another. This is not a book for a younger audience. In fact, I'd say they need to be in high school to really understand the nuances and social dynamics presented. Then again, if it's read with an adult who can help kids grasp what is being talked about, then it would be appropiate, in my opinion.

:) :) :)

If Indie had it her way, she would never choose to river raft with three other high school seniors, mostly strangers to each other, from her journalism class.

A loner, a jock, an outsider, and Instagram influencer. At first they can't see anything that they have in common. As the trip unfolds, the unpredictable river forces them to rely on each other. Social masks start to fall as, one-by-one, each teen reveals a deep secret the other three don't know.

One is harboring immense grief and unwilling to forgive after the death of a loved one. One is dealing with a new disability and an uncertain future. One is fearful of the repercussions of coming out. One is hiding behind a carefully curated "perfect" image on Instagram.

Before they get to the end of Hells Canyon, they'll know the truth about each other and, more importantly , learn something new about themselves.

What the Other Three Don't Know is a poignant and gripping young adult novel about the unlikely friends who accept you for who you really are and the power of self-acceptance.