The Insiders

Product Description 
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year 
Three kids who don’t belong. A room that shouldn’t exist. A year that will change everything. 
Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead and Meg Medina, this debut middle grade novel from award-winning author Mark Oshiro is a hopeful and heartfelt coming-of-age story for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in. 
San Francisco and Orangevale may be in the same state, but for Héctor Muñoz, they might as well be a million miles apart. Back home, being gay didn’t mean feeling different. At Héctor’s new school, he couldn’t feel more alone. 
Most days, Héctor just wishes he could disappear. And he does. Right into the janitor’s closet. (Yes, he sees the irony.) But one day, when the door closes behind him, Héctor discovers he’s stumbled into a room that shouldn’t be possible. A room that connects him with two new friends from different corners of the country—and opens the door to a life-changing year full of friendship, adventure, and just a little bit of magic. 
“Sometimes hilarious, sometimes devastating, but always full of heart, The Insiders carves out a space for us all to be our true selves.” —Kwame Mbalia, New York Times bestselling author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky 
 Review 
“Sometimes hilarious, sometimes devastating, but always full of heart, 
The Insiders carves out a space for us all to be our true selves.” -- 
Kwame Mbalia, New York Times bestselling author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky\n“The story about finding your place and your people that I wish I’d had as a kid. Héctor has my whole heart and I want to hug him and keep him close, but he belongs out in the world where he can inspire readers to honor themselves." -- 
New York Times bestselling author Adam Silvera\n“A classic in the making.” -- 
Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles\n“Oshiro’s intersectional saga conveys a strong message about letting go of secrets and, with help from loved ones, reclaiming space.” -- 
Publishers Weekly 
(starred review)\n“Heartfelt and laugh-out-loud funny. The perfect adventure for anyone who’s ever felt they didn’t fit in, with characters that jump off the page, pull you in, and don’t let go." -- 
Claribel A. Ortega, author of Ghost Squad and the Witchlings series\n“A transportive and magical world made for kids who are true to themselves and misfits at heart. Mark Oshiro's debut middle grade is a must-read!" -- 
Zoraida Córdova, award-winning author of Labyrinth Lost and The Way to Rio Luna\n“Achingly funny, relatable, and heartfelt.” -- 
John David Anderson, author of Ms. Bixby’s Last Day\n"[A] brave and earnest quest for happiness and belonging set among a richly diverse cast of characters. Sweet and full of heart." -- 
Kirkus Reviews\n“With its modern dialogue, engaging cast, and painfully real depictions of bullying, this middle-grade debut is written with an expert hand.” -- Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books\n"[An] empowering novel, filled with knotty but relatable problems for its empathetic characters to solve." -- 
Booklist\n“Bright and encouraging. Many readers will find resonance in this magical tale.” -- School Library Journal\n"An appreciation of intersectional identity and a story of resilience." -- Horn Book Magazine 
 About the Author 
Mark Oshiro is the award-winning author of the YA books Anger Is a Gift and Each of Us a Desert. When they are not writing, they are busy trying to fulfill their lifelong goal of petting every dog in the world. The Insiders is their middle grade debut.

Children's Books

Oshiro, Mark

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Harpercollins

A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year * An ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 Title for Young Readers 
Three kids who don’t belong. A room that shouldn’t exist. A year that will change everything. 
Perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead and Meg Medina, this debut middle grade novel from award-winning author Mark Oshiro is a hopeful and heartfelt coming-of-age story for anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t fit in. 
San Francisco and Orangevale may be in the same state, but for Héctor Muñoz, they might as well be a million miles apart. Back home, being gay didn’t mean feeling different. At Héctor’s new school, he couldn’t feel more alone. 
Most days, Héctor just wishes he could disappear. And he does. Right into the janitor’s closet. (Yes, he sees the irony.) But one day, when the door closes behind him, Héctor discovers he’s stumbled into a room that shouldn’t be possible. A room that connects him with two new friends from different corners of the country—and opens the door to a life-changing year full of friendship, adventure, and just a little bit of magic. 
“Sometimes hilarious, sometimes devastating, but always full of heart, The Insiders carves out a space for us all to be our true selves.” —Kwame Mbalia, New York Times bestselling author of Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

You Only Live Once, David Bravo

From Mark Oshiro, award-winning author of The Insiders, this time-bending adventure is perfect for fans of Sal and Gabi Break the Universe and When You Reach Me. 
Middle school is the worst, especially for David Bravo. He doesn’t have a single class with his best (okay, only) friend, Antoine. He has to give a class presentation about his heritage, but he’s not sure how—or even if—he wants to explain to his new classmates that he’s adopted. After he injures Antoine in an accident at cross-country practice, he just wishes he could do it all over. 
He doesn’t expect his wish to summon a talking, shapeshifting, annoying dog, Fea, who claims that a choice in David’s past actually did put him on the wrong timeline… and she can take him back to fix it. 
But when their first try (and the second, and the third) is a total disaster, David and Fea are left scrambling through timeline after timeline—on a quest that may lead them to answers in the most unexpected places. 
Coco meets Sliding Doors in this laugh-out-loud, heartwarming middle grade novel that explores how our choices make us who we are.

Literature & Fiction

From Mark Oshiro, award-winning author of The Insiders, this time-bending adventure is perfect for fans of Sal and Gabi Break the Universe and When You Reach Me. A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year * An ALA Rainbow Book List Top 10 Selection Middle school is the worst, especially for David Bravo. He doesn't have a single class with his best (okay, only) friend, Antoine. He has to give a class presentation about his heritage, but he's not sure how--or even if--he wants to explain to his new classmates that he's adopted. After he injures Antoine in an accident at cross-country practice, he just wishes he could do it all over. He doesn't expect his wish to summon a talking, shapeshifting, annoying dog, Fea, who claims that a choice in David's past actually did put him on the wrong timeline... and she can take him back to fix it. But when their first try (and the second, and the third) is a total disaster, David and Fea are left scrambling through timeline after timeline--on a quest that may lead them to answers in the most unexpected places. Coco meets Sliding Doors in this laugh-out-loud, heartwarming middle grade novel that explores how our choices make us who we are.&nbsp;

Biographies

"An emotion-filled collection." —Kirkus Reviews 
Two teens take the stage and find their voice . . . 
A girl learns about her heritage and begins to find her community . . . 
A sister is haunted by the ghosts of loved ones lost . . . 
There is no universal adoption experience, and no two adoptees have the same story. This anthology for teens edited by Shannon Gibney and Nicole Chung contains a wide range of powerful, poignant, and evocative stories in a variety of genres. 
These tales from fifteen bestselling, acclaimed, and emerging adoptee authors genuinely and authentically reflect the complexity, breadth, and depth of adoptee experiences. 
This groundbreaking collection centers what it’s like growing up as an adoptee. These are stories by adoptees, for adoptees, reclaiming their own narratives. 
With stories by: Kelley Baker Nicole Chung Shannon Gibney Mark Oshiro MeMe Collier Susan Harness Meredith Ireland Mariama J. Lockington Lisa Nopachai Stefany Valentine Matthew Salesses Lisa Wool-Rim Sjöblom Eric Smith Jenny Heijun Wills Sun Yung Shin Foreword by Rebecca Carroll Afterword by JaeRan Kim, MSW, PhD

When We Become Ours: A YA Adoptee Anthology

SMITH, Eric

Gibney, Shannon

Sjöblom, Lisa Wool-Rim

Salesses, Matthew

Shin, Sun Yung

Lockington, Mariama J.

Ireland, Meredith

Baker, Kelley

Chung, Nicole

Wills, Jenny Heijun

Valentine, Stefany

Collier, MeMe

Harness, Susan

Nopachai, Lisa

Short Stories & Anthologies

HarperTeen

From New York Times #1 best-selling author Rick Riordan and award-winning author Mark Oshiro comes a new standalone adventure featuring two of the most popular characters from the world of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. ONE PROPHECY. TWO DEMIGODS. A HEROIC QUEST. Nico di Angelo is pretty familiar with the realms of death, being the son of Hades and all. So when a desperate voice starts plaguing his dreams, Nico is convinced it's coming from the Underworld and belongs to an old friend - a reformed Titan called Bob. Then an ominous prophecy leaves Nico in no doubt - Bob needs his help and Nico must rescue him. Of course Nico's boyfriend, Will Solace, the son of Apollo (the god of light) insists on joining the quest too. But can will even survive in the darkest part of the world? And what does the prophecy mean when it says that Nico will have to leave something of equal value behind?

The Sun and the Star (From the World of Percy Jackson)

Riordan,Rick

Puffin

*31st Annual Lammy Finalist for LGBTQ Children’s/Young Adult category* *2019 ALA Schneider Family Book Award Teen Winner* *Buzzfeed's 24 Best YA Books of 2018* *Vulture's 38 Best LGBTQ YA Novels* *Book Riot's Best Books 2018* *Hyable's Most Anticipated Queer YA Books of 2018* *The Mary Sue's 18 Books You Should Read in 2018*
Moss Jeffries is many things―considerate student, devoted son, loyal friend and affectionate boyfriend, enthusiastic nerd. 
But sometimes Moss still wishes he could be someone else―someone without panic attacks, someone whose father was still alive, someone who hadn’t become a rallying point for a community because of one horrible night.
And most of all, he wishes he didn’t feel so stuck.
Moss can’t even escape at school―he and his friends are subject to the lack of funds and crumbling infrastructure at West Oakland High, as well as constant intimidation by the resource officer stationed in their halls. That was even before the new regulations―it seems sometimes that the students are treated more like criminals. 
Something will have to change―but who will listen to a group of teens?
When tensions hit a fever pitch and tragedy strikes again, Moss must face a difficult choice: give in to fear and hate or realize that anger can actually be a gift.

Anger Is a Gift: A Novel

Dramas & Plays

Tor Teen

The trade paperback edition of the highly buzzed about YA debut from Mark Oshiro, Anger Is a Gift follows a boy from Oakland as he falls in love amidst the chaos of modern America.
*31st Annual Lammy Finalist for LGBTQ Children’s/Young Adult category* *2019 ALA Schneider Family Book Award Teen Winner* *Buzzfeed's 24 Best YA Books of 2018* *Vulture's 38 Best LGBTQ YA Novels* *Book Riot's Best Books 2018* *Hyable's Most Anticipated Queer YA Books of 2018* *The Mary Sue's 18 Books You Should Read in 2018*
Moss Jeffries is many things―considerate student, devoted son, loyal friend and affectionate boyfriend, enthusiastic nerd. 
But sometimes Moss still wishes he could be someone else―someone without panic attacks, someone whose father was still alive, someone who hadn’t become a rallying point for a community because of one horrible night.
And most of all, he wishes he didn’t feel so stuck.
Moss can’t even escape at school―he and his friends are subject to the lack of funds and crumbling infrastructure at West Oakland High, as well as constant intimidation by the resource officer stationed in their halls. That was even before the new regulations―it seems sometimes that the students are treated more like criminals. 
Something will have to change―but who will listen to a group of teens?
When tensions hit a fever pitch and tragedy strikes again, Moss must face a difficult choice: give in to fear and hate or realize that anger can actually be a gift.

From award-winning author Mark Oshiro comes a powerful coming-of-age fantasy novel about finding home and falling in love amidst the dangers of a desert where stories come to life Xochitl is destined to wander the desert alone, speaking her troubled village's stories into its arid winds. Her only companions are the blessed stars above and enigmatic lines of poetry magically strewn across dusty dunes. Her one desire: to share her heart with a kindred spirit. One night, Xo's wish is granted--in the form of Emilia, the cold and beautiful daughter of the town's murderous conqueror. But when the two set out on a magical journey across the desert, they find their hearts could be a match... if only they can survive the nightmare-like terrors that arise when the sun goes down. Fresh off ofAnger Is a Gift's smashing success, Oshiro branches out into a fantastical direction with their new YA novel,Each of Us a Desert.

Each of Us a Desert

Teen & Young Adult

About the Author\nMARK OSHIRO is the award-winning Latinx queer author of Anger Is a Gift, Each of Us a Desert, as well as their middle grade books The Insiders and You Only Live Once, David Bravo. They are the coauthor (with Rick Riordan) of the upcoming Nico di Angelo adventure book. When not writing, they are trying to pet every dog in the world.\nFrom award-winning author Mark Oshiro comes a powerful coming-of-age fantasy novel about finding home and falling in love amidst the dangers of a desert where stories come to life\nXochitl is destined to wander the desert alone, speaking her troubled village's stories into its arid winds. Her only companions are the blessed stars above and enigmatic lines of poetry magically strewn across dusty dunes.\nHer one desire: to share her heart with a kindred spirit.\nOne night, Xo's wish is granted―in the form of Emilia, the cold and beautiful daughter of the town's murderous conqueror. But when the two set out on a magical journey across the desert, they find their hearts could be a match... if only they can survive the nightmare-like terrors that arise when the sun goes down.\nFresh off of Anger Is a Gift's smashing success, Oshiro branches out into a fantastical direction with their new YA novel, Each of Us a Desert.

Tor Teen TR

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Oshiro, Mark. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Oshiro, Mark

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Oshiro, Mark. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Insiders

The Insiders

You Only Live Once, David Bravo

You Only Live Once, David Bravo

When We Become Ours: A YA Adoptee Anthology

The Sun and the Star (From the World of Percy Jackson)

Anger Is a Gift: A Novel

Anger Is a Gift: A Novel

Each of Us a Desert

Each of Us a Desert