Insomnia



//Insomnia// by J.R. Johansson

Parker is a Watcher of dreams. The last person with whom he makes eye contact before he goes to sleep unwittingly shares their dreams with him. What this means for Parker is that he doesn't get to experience real sleep, have his own dreams, and the lack of sleep is killing him. This was good and suspenseful, sprinkled with lots of doubt and creepiness. Interesting that it's going to be a series. I am eager to find out more about what Parker's got, if/how there are others, and how they may be dealing with it. Great for older teens, with aspects of bullying and abuse, and a male character trying to prove to himself and others that he's not a creeper. It would be an interesting addition to the list. -Kirsten Rundquist Corbett, Sandown Public Library

Kirsten has summed this book up very nicely, but I would add that it has potential for reluctant or lower level older readers. The themes are definitely older: stalking, bullying, abuse, but the language is not incredibly complex. I found Parker's relationship with his friends, and his trust in them, refreshing for a teen novel. There's drama here, but rarely does it become melodrama, and that is the difference for me. I too am interested to see what comes next for Parker. There's lots of foreshadowing in this book for future volumes. -Danny Arsenault, Rodgers Memorial Library, Hudson