The School for Whatnots

January 31, 2022
Born into different circumstances on the same night, two middle schoolers encounter their respective upbringings’ mysteries in Haddix’s (the Greystone Secrets series) class-conscious thriller. Though Maximilian J. Sterling’s billionaire parents celebrate his birth with a lavish fireworks display, they soon fear that Max “will never know the difference between the beauty of his own soul and the appeal of all his money,” and determine to raise him alongside androids provided by the Whatnot Corporation. After Josie’s mother dies at an overwhelmed charity hospital just after childbirth, meanwhile, the girl’s bereft father takes a deal offered by a veiled woman: in exchange for greater educational opportunities than he can afford, Josie will live alone at a whatnot school, “pretending to be a robot pretending to be a child.” Eleven years later, having been fast friends with Max since kindergarten, Josie makes a comment about “whatnot rules” and leaves a handwritten note for Max: “No matter what anyone tells you, I’m real.” Though the book’s look at structural socioeconomic privilege largely skips over considerations of intersectional bias, and frequent narrative asides interrupt the action’s flow, strong interpersonal relationships and twisty plotting will draw readers into this quick-moving buddy novel that focuses on connection and generations’ opportunities to unlearn their programming. The protagonists read as white; secondary cast members read as Black. Ages 8–12. Agent: Tracey Adams, Adams Literary.

Starred review from January 1, 2022
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)

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January 1, 2022
Wealthy Mrs. Sterling is determined that her son Maximilian grow up unspoiled, with friends who aren't interested only in his money. So she makes sure that (unbeknownst to him) his childhood companions are all whatnots, "robots that look and act so much like humans that no one can tell the difference." Maximilian's first school friend, Josie, however, seems different. She shortens his name to Max and invites him to jump in mud puddles with her. She also has a secret. Unlike the other whatnots who remain in charging stations at night, Josie is a real girl, from a poor family, who lives covertly at the school in a little bedroom behind her charging station door. At the end of fifth grade, when Max is due to be transitioned away from whatnots to real human friends, Josie doesn't want to be left behind. Her cryptic message to Max -- "No matter what anyone tells you, I'm real" -- kicks off an engaging mystery-adventure in which Max and Josie end up uncovering more than they'd bargained for about whatnots and the shadowy woman, Frances Miranda Gonzagaga, who invented them. 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. And if the ending is a bit unrealistic, it fits in perfectly with the rest of this feel-good wish-fulfillment fantasy.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

May 1, 2022
Wealthy Mrs. Sterling is determined that her son Maximilian grow up unspoiled, with friends who aren't interested only in his money. So she makes sure that (unbeknownst to him) his childhood companions are all whatnots, "robots that look and act so much like humans that no one can tell the difference." Maximilian's first school friend, Josie, however, seems different. She shortens his name to Max and invites him to jump in mud puddles with her. She also has a secret. Unlike the other whatnots who remain in charging stations at night, Josie is a real girl, from a poor family, who lives covertly at the school in a little bedroom behind her charging station door. At the end of fifth grade, when Max is due to be transitioned away from whatnots to real human friends, Josie doesn't want to be left behind. Her cryptic message to Max -- "No matter what anyone tells you, I'm real" -- kicks off an engaging mystery-adventure in which Max and Josie end up uncovering more than they'd bargained for about whatnots and the shadowy woman, Frances Miranda Gonzagaga, who invented them. 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. And if the ending is a bit unrealistic, it fits in perfectly with the rest of this feel-good wish-fulfillment fantasy. Anita L. Burkam

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

February 1, 2022

Gr 5 Up-An innovative story of friendship with touches of science fiction, fantasy, and mystery, along with a heavy, dark dose of capitalism. How do the wealthy keep their children protected and stop them from acting spoiled? They send them to a school full of whatnots, android robots pretending to be human. While attending one of these schools, Max becomes best friends with Josie. Years later, he finds out Josie has a secret-she is the only whatnot at the school who is human. Her father made a huge sacrifice in the hopes of providing her with a better life. When Josie is transferred out of the program, the two companions are abruptly separated. Both children are determined to find each other, and in the process uncover dark secrets about the whatnot system and its powerful creators. The thought-provoking plot exposes the glaring disparities between the haves and the have-nots. Unfortunately, the almost-too-neat conclusion does not offer any true solutions. Systemic poverty continues to exist side by side with families wealthy enough to render change, but who choose short-term options over anything lasting. VERDICT A solid purchase with appeal for older readers; recommended for any library, but especially those where sci-fi and mysteries circulate well.-Claire Covington

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 15, 2022
Grades 4-7 *Starred Review* Max and Josie are best friends from vastly different worlds. Max, born to billionaires, obliviously attends an exclusive school with a fleet of students known as Whatnots, modern androids capable of flawless human imitation, thus sparing him from interacting with cruel or greedy children interested only in his wealth. Josie is secretly the only other human child in Max's class, allowed to attend the superior school with the promise of an excellent education if she can keep up the robotic ruse. Max is devastated when Josie seemingly disappears after fifth grade, but she leaves behind a perplexing note: "No matter what anyone tells you, I'm real." A bewildered Max sets out to uncover the truth and find his way back to his best friend, but the stakes are higher than he could possibly imagine. The incredibly intriguing premise is happily matched by compelling text, treating readers to some truly terrific twists and a touch of fairy tale. Fast-paced chapters are punctuated by humorous "narrator's asides," though it quickly becomes clear that the narrator isn't quite as omniscient as it originally appears. This engaging introduction to socioeconomic disparity in education, health care, and transportation delves even deeper into the complexity of friendship and the impossibility of perfection. A thought-provoking and thrilling exploration of what it means to be human.

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