If you have a late elementary to middle school reader who is ready for mystery mixed with a little science fiction, then Double Identity is for you both! My daughter was so excited about this book. It was one of the first ones she couldn't put down! That meant to me that if she liked this book so much, then I just had to read it too. Now we both want to read other books written by Margaret Peterson Haddix as well.
Bethany is a 12 year old who has become used to her overprotective parents. She's moved around a lot and doesn't have very close friends, but she is basically a terrific tween-age kid. Her favorite thing is swimming. She finds it comforting and quiet under the water and, on the other hand, she loves to compete at meets.
She has also become used to her mother crying at odd times, but she's been worried lately because her mother has been crying all the time. Without warning, her mom and dad drive her to an aunt's house. She's never even heard of this aunt before and suddenly her parents just leave her there.
Bethany can't make any sense out of this, and her aunt can't seem to finish any sentences making both of them entirely nervous around one another. Another weird thing - people in this small town look at her like she is some sort of ghost from the past. Then, at the next minute, they recover and say something like she looks like someone else they know or knew or something.
Her father frightens her even more by disconnecting all of their cell phones and has left no forwarding number saying don't try to contact me. Bethany's mother calls and thinks that Bethany is another person named Elizabeth. Who is this Elizabeth anyway? Another time, Bethany answers the phone and all she hears is a click.
Strange and frightening events continue to happen. She thinks she's being followed and becomes afraid to go out of her aunt's house. The mystery unfolds with scientific facts and family history all leading to a surprising conclusion and unexpectedly helping Bethany find out who she really is.
Hi Carol. I just wanted to let you know that Perfect Chemistry is definently don't for the middle school level. If it were a movie it would be rated R. Just to warn you on that one.
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