Missing Persons

"I was so close to feeling like I had Jun’s story nailed down. But no. That’s not how stories work, is it?
They are shifting things that reform with each new telling, transform with each new teller.”

Someone close to you goes missing. There are questions. What happened? Why? 
This is an interesting premise for a young adult novel. The search rarely involves the simple task of locating an individual. It requires dogged determination and methodical sleuthing. This pursuit brings teens face-to-face with painful realities. Not all searches are successful. Not all that was lost is found.

Three unique stories have three common elements: drugs, crime, and family. ​Join each of these protagonists as they search for a missing person and in the process, learn more about themselves.

Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay

​Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

Pub date: June 18, 2019  Publisher: Kokila ISBN: 978-0525554912

Born in the Philippines but raised in the United States, seventeen-year-old Jay learns that his Filipino cousin is dead. Stunned by the tragedy and his family’s reluctance to divulge any of the details, Jay returns to the land of his birth to ascertain what happened to his gentle, thoughtful relative.
​Tracing the life of Jun is challenging. The family is unwilling to discuss anything about him or his life. Jay suspects a cover-up and wants to learn the truth.
He is startled by what he eventually finds and realizes that surviving can be dangerous for a young man trying to make his way through a drug-infested sub-culture.
Ultimately Jay develops an appreciation for his Filipino heritage and decides to make a major life change.
​Hopeful, heart-wrenching, unforgettable storytelling.

Disappeared by Francisco X. Stork

​Audiobook accessed via Overdrive

​Pub date: October 1, 2019  Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books ISBN: 978-1338312829

Devastated by the disappearance of her friend, investigative reporter Sara Zapata discovers the astonishing number of young girls who have gone missing. Her published news articles begin to draw attention. As she searches for answers, things take a frightening turn when she discovers that key pieces of information are missing. Her family is threatened and her home is no longer a safe place. Sara learns that her brother may have jeopardized the family's future by a decision which will brings him into the influence of the drug cartel. Will she find her friend? Can she protect her family? Sara will risk all to discover the truth and remain true to herself.

Seeking asylum and crossing the border from Mexico into the United States make this book particularly relevant.

I Am Princess X by Cherie Priest

​Uncorrected copy provided by publisher.

​Pub date: April 26, 2016  Publisher: Scholastic ISBN: 978-1338032352

Best friends Libby and May invented Princess X, a comic featuring a sword-wielding warrior princess wearing a gold crown and red sneakers. One fateful night Libby's mother fell asleep while driving across a bridge. The car tumbled into the icy water with Libby and her mother trapped inside. Libby is dead. Princess X is no more.
Three years later May discovers Princess X stickers directing her to a website. She wonders: Why this sudden reappearance of Princess X? May sets off on a dangerous mission to uncover what happened that fateful night. Her quest pits her wits and her nerve against a cunning man with a deranged plan. A can't-put-it-down combination comic and prose thriller. ​​