Twelfth

by Janet Key

MP3 CD Format Better Nate Than Ever meets The Parker Inheritance in this heartwarming mystery about finding your people and accepting others as they are. Twelve-year-old Maren is sure theater camp isn't for her. Theater camp is for loud, confident, artsy people like her older sister, Hadley--the last person Maren wants to think about--and her cinema-obsessed, nonbinary bunkmate, Theo. But when a prank goes wrong, Maren gets drawn into the hunt for a diamond ring that, legend has it, is linked to the camp's namesake, Charlotte "Charlie" Goodman, a promising director in Blacklist Era Hollywood. When Maren connects the clues to Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, she and her new friends are off searching through lighting booths, orchestra pits and costume storages, discovering the trail and dodging camp counselors. But they're not the only ones searching for the ring, and with the growing threat of camp closing forever, they're almost out of time.

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, LGBT, Contemporary, Queer, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult

1 pages, Audio CD

First published May 17, 2022

Reviews

[Samantha Fraenkel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED Twelfth; in fact it is probably the best middle grade book I've read this year.
This is a fantastic and heartwarming mystery about finding your people, being who you truly are, and finding acceptance. Such relatable characters and situations, Key also does a great job of representing the LGBTQ+ community, as well as looking at mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. Plus Shakespeare! And all the fun of putting on a play and being part of a theatre group!
Such a great read :)

ARC Provided by NetGalley

[Rebecca McPhedran · Rating 2 out of 5]

My final Maine Student Book Award Nominee for 23|24.

This one was just fine. I guess I wasn’t into the setting or the story. I wish it was about 100 pages shorter. I shouldn’t wait to read the book I’m least looking forward to for last.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: 5/5
I'm a huge theatre nerd so when I saw the plot of Twelfth I knew I had to take a trip to the bookstore

Pros:-this was such a fun read! I loved getting to piece together the clues while reading
-Maren was such a deeply relatable character, she was trying her best to deal with the world around her while also learning about herself
-the cast of characters was loveable and made me forget I was reading
Cons:
-I don't have any!

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Far too inclusive to be realistic, more about how we wish kids were, no believable characters. Hits all the trendy themes: trans, pronouns, mental illness, historical injustice, cross-dressing, anti-capitalist, allergies, two-mom families, coming out, etc. etc. The story is barely a by product. even with decent writing.

[t s a r · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You know, when I was your age, this would have been exactly my dream cone true. But after living the life I got to live? Just goes to show you, I was dreaming too small."

Thank you, Janet Key, Little Brown Books, and TBR Beyond Tours for giving me a digital advanced copy of Twelfth in exchange for an honest review.

Twelfth ★★★★

Trigger warnings: antisemitism (mentioned), anxiety (mentioned), arson, domestic abuse (mentioned), fire, homophobia, kidnapping, misgendering, transphobia.

My expectation of Twelfth is about a silly treasure hunt around a theatre camp, but what I received was a story of people finding their lanes without the pressure of becoming someone else. It's a mildly heavier topic for a middle-grade novel, yet it is actually a timely discussion for pre-teens who are already in the age of exploring their identity and passion.

Twelfth introduces us to Maren, the twelve-year-old kid who unwillingly joins a theatre camp since her parents hope that she will be more open and cheerful like her artsy older sister Hadley. For Maren, a camp with overly excited and borderline obnoxious kids is not her thing; it's the opposite to her preference for not standing out in the crowd. It isn't until she accidentally finds a clue about a missing diamond ring belonging to the camp's namesake that she finally believes there is a purpose for her to be in the camp.

Through the course of the novel, Janet Key implements a concept of parallelism between Maren and Charlotte Goodman, the subject to whom the diamond ring is assumed to belong, where she indicates that their similarities and differences do intertwine—creating equally meaningful respective journeys for the protagonists of the novel. The rich conceptualization of the premise never feels too dull for a novel geared toward teenagers, for its heftiness is tamped with the simplicity of its exposition; Janet elaborates the story in a way that makes sure to have the readers engage with the mystery, heightening their curious senses as much as the characters who are searching for clues around the camp.

Expectedly, she successfully narrates a distinction between the protagonists to see where the parallel lies: Charlotte and Maren are born as the younger sisters, doomed to live in the shadows of their older sisters. On Charlotte's side, her predicament doesn't deter her from shaping her own future where she could be the star of its realm. She uses her creative writing talent as an advantage to rise in the ranks of Hollywood, dictating the stage, and eventually earning the spotlight that she covets as the promising director during the Hollywood Blacklist era. It showcases a tenacious personality that glows inside Charlotte—she would do things that would ensure her happiness and satisfaction more even if she has to make sacrifices for it. It is further emphasized when she has to make difficult choices between pursuing her career and becoming one with the subject of her romantic attraction in a period where same-sex relationships are still considered taboo.

On the other hand, it's quite the opposite for Maren. She has prided herself on her inquisitive nature, able to find missing objects in a heartbeat as she does with Jo's phone. She has an acute talent for writing stories that have multi-layered meaning⁠—far more prominent than most of her peers in the camp. And yet, Maren is depicted to receive less attention than how people around them treat Hadley and her gifts—a glaring contrast to the unwavering support received by Charlotte from her older sister Rosalie. As a result, it affects how Maren views her talents; they make her feel anxious and not good enough, a sense of being an outcast, and dreading anticipation that everything she does will end up in mockery. Janet subtly points out that these thoughts are unhealthy, and the isolation is too much for a growing twelve-year-old kid like Maren.

Eventually, as the hunt for the diamond ring progresses, the plot becomes a catalyst for Maren to break out from her cocoon. Janet paces her transformation into gradual small steps, taking time to let Maren assess seemingly non-agreeable situations from a different point of view and rethinks her best reaction outside of her norm to those conditions. It looks like slow progress, but even in an unhurried yet struggling manner, Janet thrives in making the readers see that Maren does try to open herself for the better⁠—that there are people who see her as herself, willingly to accompany her for it, and appreciate her handiworks in a way she always wants to get deep down.

Each of Maren's newfound friends has quite a distinct personality, making them interesting supporting characters. Theo, for example, comes off a bit strong and aggravating in the initial introduction⁠—the picture-perfect and stereotype annoying theatre kid. Yet, their braggadocious nature has its vulnerability; their irritation when they face blatant ignorance and discrimination toward their gender identity, and the slight fear of being left behind for being 'too weird' since they're the most enthusiastic cinema fan in the camp.

Meanwhile, Sal could fall into that role akin to the love interests of romance novels. He's calm and collected, providing contrast to the somewhat more energetic atmosphere in this diamond-hunting group. Sal is also not without his own mischief, as proven by his occasional snark where he manages to bite back against kids like Allegra but still looks so cool with it. My biggest surprise is the twist on his identity. Some contemporary young adult novels still implement the typical characteristics for readers to identify which gender or sexuality the characters identify with. For Sal, his identity is written like it's been part of his life for a long time, not as a piece of life-changing news that he should scream about it to everyone or flaunt through accessories and flowery attitude in public.

If there are a few critiques that I could comment on Twelfth, it is about Graham's position in the group. He's insistent and helpful, but his personality has not much going on from his first appearance to the course of the book⁠. His development feels much less compared to Sal and Theo, which ends up with him filling the position of the goof like Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo franchise. It is similar to the supposed villains in the book. Renee and Monty are not ridiculous, but their existence as the book villains is unnecessary. Monty is such a good side character, so to see him revealed as a secondary antagonist instead of sticking only to his young and empathetic tutor persona is disappointing. Whereas Renee, even with her history as the daughter of the man whose life got destroyed when Charlotte and Emma disappeared, has no strong basis that makes it feel like she is willing to attack some kids in a camp. It's enough to have Allegra as the mean camp bully who would cause some trouble for the group because of her bitterness and discrimination.

However, does it take away the good things in the novel? Absolutely not. Twelfth is such an impressive debut from Janet Key, whose genuine passion for theatre and Shakespeare shine throughout the narrative, creating the charming piece of a middle-grade novel that everyone should read. I can't wait to see what's in store for Janet and her next book.

[Cathy | A Case Full of Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun mystery, but was a bit long in my opinion. It's definitely on the older middle grade/young YA side. It definitely has some more mature content than I'd let, say, my 8 year old read.

This book centers around a theater summer camp preparing to perform the play Twelfth Night. It has a really interesting mystery, a fun cast of characters, which includes some great LGBTQ+ representation as well as anxiety & depression representation.

It has dual time lines, one in 2015 and one in the 1940's/50's. While the information in the past time line was kind of important to the mystery, I feel like it could have been found through research/clues in the 'present' time, which may have helped cut down on the length of the novel. Maybe.

It does have quite a twist, but I saw it coming from miles and miles and away, which is always a little bit disappointing.

Also, one minor annoyance...after you use an EpiPen, don't you have to immediately go to the hospital? Because the character who had to do so in this book was just walking around like it was no big deal... 🤔

[Tea and Spite · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this by the end. It was a rocky start because I was expecting middle-grade coming of age and on that part it flounders a bit. For a young teen mystery with political flair though, it's quite good.

I will say that I think this is probably a bit mature for the 9-12 set I was expecting given that it came in an OwlCrate Jr box. The characters are twelve and their part of the story is fine enough for the upper tween set. The secondary story of Charlie and Emma, though, is just a bit too sophisticated for that age group. I'd be hesitant to recommend this to most kids under about fourteen, maybe a particularly precocious thirteen-year-old with an interest in history. Not because there's anything wrong with younger kids reading about LGBT issues or characters, but because the politics and history are likely to go a bit over their heads.

Overall it's a solid choice for mature younger teens or older teens who struggle with reading, but need something with more depth than standard middle-grade fare.

[Riddhi B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fresh take on a middle grade contemporary novel! I rather enjoyed it!

Plot:
The plot was what drew me to the book. I love books with a camp setting, and I do enjoy reading up and learning more about Shakespearean plays, so this was a perfect book! And the entire mystery aspect was super amazing as well! The mystery was carried out perfectly, and I for one, couldn't have predicted the exact ending. I did predict a part of it, but definitely not the entire thing!

Characters:
I loved the portrayal of all characters, but Theo was my favourite! I also wish we had more depth to Hadley's situation, but in a way, that was well-carried out too. I do hope the author writes a novel on Hadley, I'll definitely read it!

Writing style:
This was where the book lacked a tad bit, but overall, it wasn't too bad!

100% recommend if you're a lover of theatre and mysteries!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review
Maren’s sister is struggling with depression after her first year of college. Maren feels like a burden to everyone, but that doesn’t mean she really wants to spend the summer at her sister’s favorite summer camp. But, when she’s dropped off, she is dropped into a mystery maybe only she can solve – is there a ghost at camp? Is there someone out there trying to find a mysterious treasure that might save the camp from financial ruin?

As a theater kid myself, I thought this was a fun summer mystery that will keep kids entertained but won’t scare them too much. Listed as middle grade, I would definitely say it’s for older middle school kids. It deals a great deal with identity, gender fluidity, and finding who you are. I thought the main story of Maren, Theo, Graham and their goofy friendship and hunt for the treasure were great fun. Incorporating Charlie’s story provided a solid background for the camp, the treasure, and the real jewel of the story – finding and embracing who you really are.

[Michelle Bibliovino · Rating 3 out of 5]

So many great things in this novel! A heartwarming middle grade story about overcoming adversity, being your true self and pursuing you dreams. A tale of love conquering all. A testament to the power of theatre. An LGBTQ+ representation.

I was a little disappointed in the cartoonish villain element. So much of the story was strong and realistic, while this part was just a tad campy.

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours and Netgalley for my free copy. These opinions are my own.

[Sam (she_who_reads_) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars! One for the older middle grade reader I’d say, as it does get a little convoluted and tacked themes that may go over the heads of younger readers (although, a fab way to introduce these conversations!)
It got a little over the top at end for me, but it’s definitely an important book that will resonate with a lot of readers.

[Emily Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

me when i'm working at a theatre camp in massachusetts and reading a book about a theatre camp in massachusetts

this was fine, very easy to read and technically diverse, but it doesn't really sit right with me that the nonbinary character is universally seen as annoying and impulsive....a valiant effort to write a story about gender non-conformity and general prejudice, but i won't remember this in six months.

[Emilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great middle grade book about loving your identity, being who you truly are, and also summer camp mystery which was fun!!
The characters were all great and I loved how it switched perspective to 1900s and back to present day!

[Caitlyn DeRouin · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh i loved this

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this middle grade mystery! Such positive LGBTQ+ characters and storylines, without losing sight of the mystery or plot!

[Karen Siddall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy to read and with a satisfying storyline, I was delighted, inspired, and still very entertained.

Twelfth, a reference to Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and the play the campers are to perform at the end of camp, is a unique middle-grade novel of mystery, suspense, self-awareness, and the need each person has to be seen for who they are. Told in dual timelines, one set in the summer of 2015 and the other beginning in the early 1940s and continuing into the 1950s, two distinct plots wend their way toward each other until they come together in one remarkable story. I was completely immersed in both tales and appreciated how the characters from each one experienced similar struggles. I was gripped by how each set of characters chose to handle being outside societal norms and the impact on their choices that a 60-year separation in time had.

Maren and Theo are great characters. Maren arrives at the camp in a total funk, but she is actually pretty game to get things going and the summer done. She’s never sullen or whiny, just really disappointed, confused, and torn about what is going on with her family. She’s ready just to endure it all and surprises herself with what a good time she has as she works through the mystery and her personal feelings. Theo is so upbeat and delightfully driven to follow their dreams. I loved their daily vests and quest for extras in the cafeteria. I admire anyone who can take on the opinions of others like they did and come out on top. Allegra is perfect as the pair’s antagonist; we all know THAT girl.

Most of all, I loved the twists and turns the story makes. Just when I thought I knew where things were going (and they eventually do get there), the author threw a fantastic curveball. Easy to read, with a satisfying conclusion, I was delighted, inspired, and very entertained.

Diverse and well-drawn, the characters in Twelfth felt realistic. I thought they could easily match the random makeup of people and personalities one finds in real life. The exciting story held my attention; I would have happily read the book in one sitting, and I feel even reluctant readers would stick with it. I recommend TWELFTH to readers who enjoy a fun and exciting mystery with true-to-life personal issues complicating characters’ lives and those who want some insight into the hearts and minds of someone who doesn’t fit society’s gender molds.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the publisher through TBR and Beyond Tours.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is just frustrating and bad on so many levels, and I'm too tired to go through a list of reasons why it's miserable.

Actually it's gonna bug me if I don't.

General complaints in no particular order:
- The villain is so stupid and over the top that when I rolled my eyes at what [person] was doing, I think I saw into my own brain
- None of the adults actually act like adults
- Why the heck is the male camp counselor constantly casually strolling into the girl's cabin?? Especially when their female cabin monitor is right hecking there.
- The mystery is pretty obvious, and not really compelling as a narrative anyway
- Actually the story itself isn't really compelling because everyone is just a walking Talking Point and not a character
- Please stop trying to preach to me book, I'm begging you
- I don't even understand how the setting works, how are they getting to town all the time again? Does it really matter? Not really, but it feels sloppy overall.

But my biggest gripe with the story is the use of a heavy and what could have been a valuable topic as just a side issue for the MC to overcome by the power of... a single hug by the end? Maren has a very real and deeply compelling backstory/internal struggle going on with Hadley's implied suicide attempt the year previously. If that had been the main point of the plot, Maren being able to come to a point where she could process and understand, even a little, what happened and dealing with her grief, that could have been a very powerful and beautiful story. Something similar to Summerlost in the way it handled something in a way middle grade readers could understand, but that also touched older audiences too.

Instead the book chose to chastise me about pronoun use, gay relationships, and political activism for 300 pages, under the guise of a Shakespeare theater camp story. And I'm not a fan.

[jess (bibliophilicjester) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was absolutely excellent in so many ways!!

There's a nitpicky yet really important thing I need to mention, but I'll do it at the end. It's about EpiPens.

Also, listen. I'm not a professional reviewer. These are just my messy thoughts about a book I really loved and would like to aggressively recommend to everyone. Okay?! Good. Moving on..

This book was just so wonderful aside from that one little thing!! The representation is exceptional, and I don't mean just for queer characters. It's a really simple thing, but it's nice just to see different types of personalities at this theater camp. So often, characters with certain interests fall into stereotypical archetypes..but not here. There are kids who want to direct, write, work in costumes or makeup... Not just overdramatic kids who love the acting spotlight. No, I was never a theater kid (though I did do stage crew once, and it was a nice excuse to buy black sneakers haha), but I love watching plays and performances! I also love Shakespeare, so I guess this is one of those books (like if we were villains) there was no way I wouldn't love wholeheartedly. Seriously, of someone's doing a midsummer night's dream...I want to see it. I don't care how many other times I've seen it. What fools these mortals be...

Maren is a great character to follow, and I really enjoyed watching her piece together more than just clues. She has a lot on her plate, and she managed it all in a believable way..flr a character of any age. She's complex and wonderful and even when I didn't agree with her, I was 100% rooting for her to get it right.
Theo absolutely owned every page they were on, and is the most instantly lovable character I've seen in a really long time. The type of character you'd be entirely baffled to discover another reader didn't adore. Literally any reader. Theo is the best and I will not be accepting any opinions to the contrary. And they were always trying to get extra noms. How can you not love someone who wants extra potatoes?! I'd be friends with Theo. Big personality with an even bigger heart... pretty much describes half my friends (and most of my exes, honestly, lol).
Also SAL!! Sal is probably one of the most accurate NY rep I've seen. He's confident and kind, and not at all a stereotype. When Allegra is being the WORST and using the wrong pronouns for Theo, Maren corrects her, and sal's response? "Word." YES. Lol. People in the city (probably most cities, I'd guess?) come in all different shapes and sizes and colors and sexualities etc. You could tell a city kid you have one purple leg and one green one, and they'd probably be like, cool okay, and move on haha I literally saw someone walking a pig on a leash walking around the city once, and absolutely no one acted like it was anything out of the ordinary. I know I spent a lot of time on this, but as a human from northern NJ, I'm really sick of people getting it wrong. People from my area aren't jokes. We're not jersey shore characters. And people in the city aren't all full of dreams or tragic backstories. It's where we live, and yeah it shapes who we are, but it isn't all we are, you know? Anyway. Sal was great. Good NY/NJ rep is sadly very rare, so a massive thank you to Janet Key. Thanks for seeing us as real people.

The best part for me (as a grown up 😊) was seeing all the extras at the back of the book. I love author's notes in general, but the conversation included was just amazing. If this is the first book kids encounter with all this delightful queerness, it's so so important to have useful information. I especially liked the question about how people who don't identify as anything but cishet can be allies. And there's a lovely part where the expert being interviewed says to ask your friend what they want you to do in certain situations.

Another amazing thing is just generally how everything is presented. Maren is 12 and it's a middle grade book, but Key never talks down to the reader. The characters are clever on their own but also have a bunch of helpful adults around them. No one questions kids doing Shakespeare... because why wouldn't they? And I really loved seeing a bunch of good teachers and competent adults. (but Jess...spoiler spoiler was spoiler?! No. Good teachers and competent adults. Entirely true.) The adults are also given believable flaws and strengths. Everyone in this book feels real, and I think that's so important in mg books especially. Kids aren't dumber than adults... they're just younger.

I didn't realize it would have two timelines, and I won't say much about the second one. But I loved both narratives equally, which can be really difficult to do. And when everything starts coming together... So good. Really, such a beautiful story 💕

The author's note/facts in the fiction also mentions a v exciting thing, which is that marriage equality/same sex marriage was legalized...on my birthday!! No more sharing my day with Derek Jeter and Ariana Grande... That year brought an amazing gift to my whole damn country. WOOT!! Finally, something I'm proud as hell to share my birthday with!! And yes, I remind people every year it's not just my birthday, but a day that took way too long to get here, so we have to celebrate extra and always!! *twirls* *disappears in an explosion of rainbows*

That's the end of the real review (LOL "review")... So please please go read this book. Right now. It's SO absurdly good.

And now for my nitpicky tangent...

When someone with a severe allergy comes into contact with their allergen...the EpiPen needs to be used immediately, and then they need to also go to the hospital immediately. Unless it's changed, I believe you have to get them to the hospital within 30 minutes of administering the EpiPen. The character in thos book immediately has trouble breathing, which I'm going to assume is supposed to be the beginning of anaphylaxis (which is usually why people have EpiPens). Later, it's mentioned someone "gave [the character] the EpiPen and called the police"... Which doesn't say to me that they went to the hospital. How I understand it, is the EpiPen is what keeps you going until you can get to the hospital for proper treatment. That character should not be walking around camp a few hours(?) later feeling "okay". I don't care if I'm being rude or nitpicky... everything else in this book is represented and presented with such care, and it would've been really easy to check. I worked at a regular summer day camp about ten years before this book takes place, and I had to watch the video every single year and practice how to administer an EpiPen. There's no excuse for the person who gave the shot to not know the kid needs an ambulance. Also...you have to jab really hard into someone's thigh. Like directly into the muscle. Idk if you'd want to walk around much after that.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Westing Game (the comparison is a HUGE compliment as it’s one of my favs of all time) meets The 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo in this middle grade read with LGBTQIA+ characters, all set in a summer theater camp. If that sounds like a lot of disparate elements, that’s because it IS, but Janet Key miraculously and seamlessly weaves all the threads together and make it work. That’s in large part because her characters are so well drawn. Maren is on her way to summer camp, driven by her mostly absent divorced dad, and she’s NOT happy about it. She’s dreading it in large part because theater is so not her scene and yet she feels powerless and resigned to her fate - of being constantly asked about and/or compared to her sister Hadley. We know Maren’s upset with Hadley, but Key covets those details and only slowly leaks them to readers over the course of the novel in brilliant and steady morsels.
So Maren’s expectations are rock bottom low and she’s just bracing herself and doing her best to get through the summer. When she’s paired with Theo, her non binary bunk mate, that seems to be the final nail in the coffin, largely because all Maren wants is some quiet and to go as un-noticed as possible. Theo has other ideas, with an unapologetic and larger than life personality. Also because Theo has decided that Maren will be their new sidekick and the two will go everywhere and do everything together. Maren doesn’t have the will to resist, but she’s not thrilled about this new friendship either.
Slowly, Maren finds herself actually enjoying some of the daily classes, and the play that’s picked for the summer is Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Also, a mysterious note related to the play turns up in between two of Maren’s cookies (which Theo almost devours!) and Maren is hooked on the riddle and solving a mystery as much as she’s immersed in her playwriting class.
We also get alternating chapters and timelines, with flashbacks to the 1940s and 50s and the original founders of the theater camp, which has Hollywood ties, and is at the heart of the mystery - a missing Diamond ring that’s rumored to be hidden at the camp.
The mysterious note sets off a scavenger style hunt around the theater camp with Shakespeare verses as clues and the theater world vocabulary and settings as part of the riddles. There’s a very helpful map and cast of characters on the intro pages to keep everyone and everything clear. Maren and Theo eventually enlist the help of two more friends, Graham and Sal(vadore) on their quest. They try to keep mean girl Allegra at bay, which is challenging as the prima Donna always wants to be the center of attention AND she keeps making puppy eyes at Sal. Also they think one of the camp counselors isn’t too be trusted, they just don’t know WHO… so of course they trust no one!
The mystery was solid and had me guessing until the end, the characters were warm and realistic and flawed and lovable, the theater camp setting totally immersive, and the 40s timeline deftly braided into the current day timeline and just as engaging. The final twist was a pleasant surprise and the epilogue gloriously heartwarming. Would definitely read another book by this new author- a very impressive debut!

[BiblioBickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

In June 2015, the summer before 7th grade, Maren is shuffled off to the theater camp where her older sister, Hadley, has been a fixture since she was young. Hadley has always taken up a lot of space in the house, leading Maren to mostly keep to herself and try to be more or less invisible. When Hadley went away to college, Maren finally had room to expand, but that did not last long. Hadley fails her first semester in college, experiencing severe depression; she is now in in-patient treatment and taking up so much time that their parents think Maren needs to be away for a while.

Maren has a rocky start at camp after an awkward non-good-bye with her dad, whom she calls Ed and with whom she has a difficult relationship. Navigating mean girl Allegra and her two minions, and bunking with fellow new camper Theo, a loud and proud (with ADHD-like behavior at times) non-binary aspiring filmmaker who immediately becomes the target of Allegra's bullying, Maren becomes engaged in a kind of treasure hunt with mysterious clues that seem left specifically for her, taken from the text of Twelfth Night, the play the camp is performing this year.

Alternating chapters with Maren's experience is Charlotte "Charlie" Goodman's story, taking place two generations before, in 1940s/1950s Hollywood. Try as she might, Charlie just cannot be like her perfect, sweet, kind, beautiful younger sister, Rosalie, and everyone they meet seems to know that right away. Touching on the House Un-American Committee, the importance of free speech, and the Lavender Scare, Charlie's arc provides some background filmmaking and LGBTQ+ history. It also provides the basis of the legend of a missing huge diamond ring, the object of Maren's treasure hunt.

I was surprised at first that Maren's timeline was set in June 2015 rather than closer to the timeframe of the novel's publishing (2022), but it all made sense at the end.

An engaging mystery with a (perhaps surprising) twist at the end and a kind of encore once the baddie is neutralized.

The novel is followed by a note on "Some Facts in the Fiction" and "Bonus Material: A conversation on gender diversity" between the author and Jennifer Fedmann, MD, an Adolescent Gender Health practitioner which contains resources including for mental health crisis.

Head scratchers for me:
A female film director (a real historical figure) is referred to as "Ms. Arzner" in 1940, which felt like an anachronism. Upon further research, it appears that the term "Ms." was referred to as early as 1901 in print, and perhaps Arzner used it; it would certainly fit with the nature of her work and personality. However, none of the biographies on line that I read mentioned that she used this honorific, which would have been noteworthy before 1970.

A camper who is allergic to bee stings gets stung (in an attempted murder situation), and simply uses an EpiPen to avoid anaphylaxis; typically, if the allergy was indeed that severe, the patient would follow up the EpiPen with a visit to the ER. It's possible he received care from EMTs between the sting and when he joins back up with Maren.

The obsession of the baddie with finding the ring seemed maniacal and a little hard to understand.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
The book has an effective hook right from the start, as the acting instructor for a summer theater camp disappears. The other counselors and the camp’s owner have no idea what’s happened, and it creates a mystery. The mystery deepens once she’s found and reveals she’d been kidnapped and interrogated for information. Apparently, someone believes a valuable diamond is hidden somewhere in the camp, and the kidnapping adds an element of danger to the problem.
The main plot follows Maren and Theo as they deal with the mystery, the day-to-day drama of camp life, and the preparations for the camp’s production of Shakespeare’s “The Twelfth Night”. It’s Maren’s first time coming to camp, reluctantly, but Theo is a camp veteran and prefers to be addressed as they or them due to being trans. Other gender identities are included in the book as related issues are addressed. For some reason, an anonymous person (or ghost) sends Maren cryptic messages related to lines in the play that will help her find the diamond. Theo agrees to help along with a couple of other campers. Maren’s character is intelligent and logical, so she’s well-prepared to take on the whodunit. Maren also deals with thoughts about her older sister’s depression and she’s forced to sort through her mixed emotions.
The book has a variety of subplots, including alternate chapters about the life of the camp founder’s daughter, Charlie. It’s revealed that Charlie’s character identifies more with males and has something to do with the missing diamond. Charlie finds it easier to live as a man, but life gets complicated when a beautiful actress enters the picture. The hidden feelings and secrets that follow lead to a tragic end. However, these characters create the mystery that Maren is trying to solve.
Theo is the most entertaining character, as they’re determined to film a movie while at camp. They carry a camera everywhere, constantly filming, and this creates an issue late in the book. Their character has an insatiable hunger, and they finish Maren’s leftovers at every meal. They wear unique, colorful vests all the time, and they have relentless energy for camp life and sleuthing. They have an ongoing conflict with a self-centered, vain girl, but Theo handles it better than her. Theo’s enthusiasm for life and solving the mystery is contagious, and readers will come to enjoy the character too.
What didn’t work as well:
The setting of a theater camp in the middle of nowhere is a bit unusual. While the story is guided by the camp’s performance of the classic Shakespeare play, not a common interest of most young people, readers can still identify with other aspects of camp life. Maren’s reflections about her sister and her friends are engaging and will help readers make personal connections.
The Final Verdict:
Be yourself. “The Twelfth Night” and the search for the missing diamond steer the story and support subplots for a myriad of intriguing characters. Their compelling issues will engage readers, and I recommend you give it a shot.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maren is glad to go to summer camp to get away from problems at home surrounding her older sister, Hadley, but she still can't escape her sister's shadow, since she also had attended the Charlotte Goodman Theater Camp. Maren has a knack for solving little mysteries, like where Jo, the camp director, left her phone, and she settles in to her cabin. Roommate Theo, who identifies as nonbinary and uses the pronouns they/them, is interested in filming, and manages to irritate the other campers, especially after saying the name of the play the camp is putting on, MacBeth. There's already been an issue with the oldest counselor having gone missing, and there is a fear that this is the last year that the camp will be open, since there is development occurring around it. There's also the issue of the camp's history-- Charlotte Goodman was the daughter of a dancer and a set designer in Hollywood, and went into films herself, but unfortunately perished in a horrible fire in the 1950s. The camp was set up by her sister in her honor. There was another woman who died in the fire, and she had a very expensive engagement ring with her. The diamond has been rumored to be at the camp somewhere, and Maren starts to think that the counselor's disappearance had something to do with the clues she has found around camp, as well as rumored sightings of Charlotte's ghost. When developer Renee Wallace is seen lurking around the camp, Maren becomes more suspicious, and redoubles her efforts to find the diamond. In flashbacks, we see Charlotte's involvement in early Hollywood, and find out some secrets about her past. Will she and Theo be able to find the diamond, save the camp, and deal with the family issues that Maren will once again face when she returns home?
Good Points

There is a lot of good LGBTQIA+ representation in this book, and very good conversation on gender diversity with Dr. Jennifer Feldman at the back. A large plot twist revolves around the fact that Charlotte developed a romantic relationship with a female star, but I don't want to ruin the mystery! Theo's treatment is realistic, as they are not always treated well by some people but generally accepted. We didn't get a lot of information about Hadley's depression, but did see how it affected Maren. There is interesting information about the Red Scare in Hollywood; readers might want to pick up Brimner's Blacklisted!: Hollywood, the Cold War, and the First Amendment for more information. The fact that the camp might be endangered is realistic, and the alumni's support of it is touching. Since Charlotte was born in 1930, I think this was set in 2015 so that the timeline was a bit more realistic.

I know that there are some schools that get really into Shakespeare, but mine is not one of them. We have a small theater program now, but books about theater don't circulate very well.
What I really think: This is a good mystery for readers who like Snyder's 2011 William's Midsummer Dreams, Freeman's (2021) Noah McNichol and the Backstage Ghost, Condie's 2016 Summerlost or Asher's Upstaged.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Twelfth

Author: Janet Key

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 4/5

Diversity: Non-binary character, Wheelchair user character, Trans character, Gay character, Queer characters

Recommended For...: middle grade readers, mystery, LGBT, thriller, theater, summer camp

Publication Date: May 17, 2022

Genre: MG Mystery

Age Relevance: 12+ (homophobia, transphobia, antisemitism, religion, religious trauma, depression, parental death, kidnapping, war, gore, violence, domestic abuse, romance)

Explanation of Above: There are some homophobia, transphobia, and antisemetic comments made to characters in the book. There is mentions of religion and religious trauma. Depression and parental death is mentioned briefly. There is a couple of kidnapping scenes, along with mentions of war and scenes of gore (vomit and some slight blood) and violence (assault on minors). Domestic abuse is alluded to in the book and there are a couple of brief scenes of romance.

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Pages: 368

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Maren is sure theater camp isn’t for her. Theater camp is for loud, confident, artsy people: people like her older sister, Hadley—the last person Maren wants to think about—and her cinema-obsessed, nonbinary bunkmate, Theo. But when a prank goes wrong, Maren gets drawn into the hunt for a diamond ring that, legend has it, is linked to the camp’s namesake, Charlotte “Charlie” Goodman, a promising director in Blacklist Era Hollywood.

When Maren connects the clues to Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, she and her new friends are off searching through lighting booths, orchestra pits and costume storages, discovering the trail and dodging camp counselors. But they’re not the only ones searching for the ring, and with the growing threat of camp closing forever, they're almost out of time.

Review: I enjoyed this summer camp read! I loved that it was a theater camp and that the mystery was Shakespeare themed. The book had pretty decent character development and world building. The story was interesting and it kept me reading until the very end to figure out the whodunit. I also enjoyed the riddles even though I didn’t understand them. I also appreciate all of the useful material at the end of the book!

However, I knew it wasn’t going to be so good for me when the book started off with 2 full pages of characters. I did have trouble remembering all of the characters, there were a lot, and reading an ebook made it hard to flip to the front of the book to check who was who. I thought that the book was a little on the boring side in the beginning until about halfway through the book and that there was just so much slow pacing throughout the read.

Verdict: I liked it!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maren never wanted to go to theater camp. That was her older sister Hadley's passion, and Maren knows she's being dumped there so her divorced parents can focus on Hadley's mental health issues. So Maren feels as though everyone has abandoned her, including Hadley, who stopped interacting with anyone, including Maren. But Maren is stuck there, so she somewhat reluctantly makes friends with her enby cabinmate Theo, madly passionate about food and moviemaking, and signs up for the least offensive of the multiple theater classes offered. When she hears the story about the diamond ring that may be hidden somewhere at camp, Maren is at least somewhat interested. The camp is struggling financially, with an ersatz Walmart panting to buy it up as soon as it fails, and a diamond ring could save it. Then Maren encounters the first clue in a treasure hunt, a clue using lines from "Twelfth Night," the play the camp is staging that summer. And she's intrigued. Along with some new-made friends and Theo, she starts following the clues. It's all tied up in the history of the camp, founded in honor of Charlotte "Charlie" Goodman, an up and coming director in the blacklist era of Hollywood who died tragically young. While the bulk of the story is Maren's, there are chapters from Charlie's POV as well. But it's in the present that Maren has to solve the mystery, and fast--because there are people who will stop at nothing to find the ring first.

I'm a fan of theater and summer camp and Shakespeare, so I really enjoyed this one. I liked the Charlie POV chapters, because I like historical mysteries and stories told non-chronologically. I did figure out Charlie's secret pretty early, though I don't think it was meant to be a secret from the reader; we are more aware in general of different gender identities and expressions than were people in Charlie's era, and if it's dangerous now, it could be suicide then. I did have a bit of trouble picturing the camp--I wished there'd been a map. At one point it said the auditorium looked new, but then later it looked old, and I couldn't figure out what was where. I liked the treasure hunt, and how Maren figured out the clues. I thought the villains were appropriately villainy (as were some of the red herring characters), though I have to point out something that seemed like an egregious and dangerous fallacy. If you have an allergy that requires an epi-pen, and you have to use that epi-pen, you still MUST call 911 or go to the ER. The epi-pen buys you the time to do that. It doesn't cure the problem so that you can go merrily on with your evening with no worries. But that aside, I really liked this one.

[A. Minnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a good mystery, with Shakespeare, social justice, and camp thrown in. However, I have some thoughts on representation and age appropriateness alongside.

Young Maren Sands is sent off to Goodman's Theatre Camp for the summer, where she makes a bunch of new friends, begins to understand herself, and her relationship with her family better. There's a lot of following the breadcrumb trail and some neat characters she meets along the way, so it's definitely a fun read.

My biggest takeaway around the book is not the story arc itself, which is a well written fun read. The writer introduces us to non-het non-cis characters, and ideas like depression as well. I wouldn't have expected it from a children's book when I was their age, but times have changed and so have conversations. At the same time, however, I don't think I'd recommend the book to an 9-12 year old without a parent reading it alongside, or ready to answer their questions - exposure to new ideas is good, but without conversation around them, and how these characters fit into each family's personal beliefs and cultural systems, they're a lot to translate for a young reader. While there's a Q&A about gender identities at the end of my copy about the book, there's not much about depression - something that needs to be handled with as much sensitivity and information that is age appropriate.

I also wonder at the idea of representation in the book. Out of the group of 4 friends that form, one is cishet, one is trans, one is gay, and one we don't know about but since the others make themselves clear, is possibly cishet. There are at least 2 lesbian couples, and 1 gay couple. However, literally EVERY character seems to have been written white. There is a mention somewhere of one character speaking in Spanish, but that's about it. With the focus on diversity, I would have expected some indication of brownness? Blackness? There isn't a single Asian name in the book. So it makes me wonder if there are blinders on what counts as representation, which dulls my conviction in what the book seems to be trying to do - you can't create a space where everyone is welcome, if it seems as though only white folks of varying gender and sexual expressions are.

I'd recommend it with some caveats.

3/5 stars.

[Kristin SH · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to HarperCollins for my advanced copy!

I was all set to adore this new mystery adventure starring a group of drama kids, using clues based on TWELFTH NIGHT, championing LGBTQ+ rights. And I do really, really, really like it. I'm not ultimately as rapturous about it as I hoped I'd be, but I definitely think everyone should read it.

This is basically an LGBTQ+ version of Varian Johnson's THE PARKER INHERITANCE. A group of middle schoolers in the present day work against the clock to find a hidden treasure before an evil corporation's representative finds it first and, in doing so, to save their beloved drama camp from closure. The mystery involves a set of clues created in the past by a shadowy figure, whose backstory we slowly receive through interspersed flashbacks, and who turns out to have been a victim of trans and genderqueer oppression during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

The characterizations are vivid, the use of TWELFTH NIGHT is clever, the resolution is fun...so why isn't this a full 5 stars for me? Because TWELFTH falls into the trap that so many middle grade and YA novels seem to lately, trying to shove in one or two or five extra social issues - or, in this case, extra characters who relate to/spell out the central theme of LGBTQ+ oppression. I could have dealt with one fewer character reduced to a platform to drive home Key's important message. But once again I am reminded that I'm not the intended audience for this book (although I doubt middle grade readers will get as much squealy delight from the TWELFTH NIGHT clues). In theory, children ages 8-12 are the intended audience. I can't speak to their experience, but I can imagine a scenario where a child that age who is just beginning to grapple with their own gender and sexual identity might find the range of possibilities explored here welcoming and inclusive and nurturing, rather than overstuffed and slightly unfocused.

Anyway, this wonderful new novel is fun and meaningful and well worth a read. I'd say the historical narrative portions edge it toward the more mature end of middle grade. But if nothing else, which should science and math whizzes have all the fun solving mysteries? We artsy types can have adventures, too!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

12yo Maren is attending Charlotte Goodman theater camp. Her sister is in treatment for depression - Hadley is now in college but went to the same camp for many years, and now Maren feels in her shadow as she tries to navigate the camp - hoping that people won't ask about her sister. She quickly makes friends with Theo, her bunkmate who identifies as non-binary. This may be the final year of the theater camp, as they are struggling for funding. Rumor has it that there may be a very expensive ring hidden somewhere on campus, and Maren, who is great at solving mysteries, is following clues while Theo films a "documentary" about her search for the ring.

Told in alternating chapters - Maren's Theater camp experience and Charlotte Goodman's story (the 1930s-1950s which adds a bunch of Hollywood McCarthy era history). While theater people tend to be welcoming, some of the students' responses to non-binary Theo were, unfortunately realistic. Charlotte Goodman had been a director who presented male, and her story arc provides the mystery. There's a pretty nasty villain, she is ruthless and mean, and I think a bit over the top. I loved the theater school stories, the classes and the things the kids were learning were spot on. They pulled together a full Shakespeare production rather quickly, I'm hoping it was a children's theater version. Theater kids will like Twelfth. Includes a great interview with Jennifer Feldmann, MD on Gender Diversity. Characters' races and cultures were not defined

Cross posted to http://kissthebook.blogspot.com

[Christina · Rating 3 out of 5]

**This book was sent to me by Little Brown Readers and Goodreads in a giveaway**

I was so excited for the concept of Twelfth because I am an English teacher who reads/performs Twelfth Night with her students and wanted to see how well the Shakespearean influence was incorporated. On that end, it did not disappoint! I liked how there was a connection between gender identity in both the book and the play and how they both played a large role in the novel.

Additionally, I thought this story provided a pretty good mystery. I liked the juxtaposition between Maren in present day and Charlie in the past, creating a more detailed story.

There were a few too many characters for my liking, making it difficult to keep up or root for anyone in particular (except Theo; their character development was great!) Graham and Sal felt underdeveloped and I would have liked to hear more of their stories. I also wish Hadley had played a bigger role; her storyline with her mental health journey had the power to be very compelling and just was a little too shallow for me.

Overall, a pretty good middle grade novel that had an excellent message about finding who you are and expressing yourself.

[Tracey Vince · Rating 3 out of 5]

I requested Twelfth as it sounded quite an intriguing mystery but when I came to read it I found that the story was a bit of a mix bag and to be honest it could of been a whole lot better. Not a bad first novel.

Twelfth is trying to be a lot of things but only succeeds in the mystery part but only because the Charlotte Goodman chapters were short and snappy while Maren's were far too long which made me put the book down. Usually I eat up my Middle Grades but got frustrated at the length which could of been easily sorted by adding extra chapters. I get that Janet wanted to cover the subject of Mental Health she did a good job to an extent but I think she could be more successful if she did a separate story concentrating on Hadley and Maren's relationship. I also didn't think that Maren was a strong main character but Theo on the other hand really made the book and in my opinion saved the book. To me Sal and Graham were just there . As for the other characters I found Allegra was very annoying and again just another mean girl who really used words beyond her years like "power couple". As for the Baddie they were just so OTT and reminded me of a very bad pantomime character and did a disservice to the book.


I do believe if Janet kept to the Mystery side it would of been a very different story and for all these reasons Twelfth is getting 3 stars

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could remember who recommended I pick up TWELFTH by Janet Key because I'd really like to thank them. Mysteries are my favorite and expanding my middle grade mystery shelf is one of my favorite things to do.

A 60-year missing diamond ring, a Shakespearian play, and a series of riddle-like clues help set the stage for a mystery-adventure for Maren, a first-time camper at the Charlotte Goodman Theater Camp. While TWELFTH delivers a solid and satisfying mystery, it also gives the reader complex, realistic, and diverse characters that we need not only in middle grade fiction, but in all stories.

Set in a theater arts camp, the story is told in dual timelines with the "present day" set in 2015 -- and there is a reason for this particular year as it ties into the stories. As a former theater kid and as a kid who went to summer camp, I found this book incredibly immersive with fabulous details and insights into what it's like to rehearse a play and prepare for a performance.

For readers of all ages, TWELFTH will resonate. It deals with the complexities of mental health, bullying, and gender diversity. I highly recommend reading all of the Bonus Material at the end of the book as the interview with Dr. Jennifer Feldmann on gender diversity is wonderful.