Reviewed by Adam Horejsi

How well do you know your family? Have you ever dug deep into the roots of your family to find out where you are from? Some of the answers may surprise you as they did for Sonny in the book Hidden Roots.

Sonny is an 11-year-old growing up in Cold War era Vermont. His family is unique: a dedicated but dismissive mother, a mysterious and emotionally imbalanced father, and a caring and involved uncle. All want the best for their next a kin. Bruchac’s use of first person narration puts you in the head of Sonny as his cognitive dissonance starts to fade as what once was hidden in his past starts to show itself. The development of Sonny’s self identity and self realization make this a compelling read.

Want to find out what’s hidden? Pick up a copy of Hidden Roots from the C&I Library. The message of the story is that there are all things in our past we may be unaware of that complete the story of who we are. Each of us can learn a great deal about ourselves by uncovering what is hidden.

Hidden Roots
by Joseph Bruchac
Scholastic, 2011
136 pages

Adam Horejsi, is a Literacy Education Masters student who wants to remind you that objects in your mirror are closer than they appear.