The Other Mother

Gr 8 Up–Michael is drowning. His life seems relatively easy: He’s 14, white, in middle school, is interested in girls, and has a mom, two younger siblings, and a stepfather. But he also has two huge secrets that are taking over his life and pulling him under. First, and most importantly, his mother is missing. She has been replaced by another mother, an exact twin, and no one has noticed except Michael. The other secret is so big he can’t even contemplate it. Meanwhile, he has to take care of his younger brother and sister while his other mother works two shifts at the hospital to support them and his perennially unemployed stepfather. On top of that, Michael has to check in twice daily with the school counselor for anger management (after all, he did throw a laptop through a window). Determined to find his mother, Michael tackles adult-size problems, and along the way, finds out that friends and family can be a greater resource than he ever expected. This is a captivating story, told from Michael’s point of view with incredible veracity and heart.