The Hiddenseek

by Nate Cernosek

A brother and sister are transported to a cursed world based on the game hide-and-seek, where they are pursued by a shape-shifting witch, the game never ends, and the only way to get home is to win.

"You hid. But you were not found. You thought you were playing a harmless game. You were wrong."

After Holly and Hector Thorn are left behind during a simple game of hide-and-seek, they find themselves transported to a gloomy, magical world seemingly trapped in time--the Hiddenseek. There, It, a witch with the ability to transform into a raven and a wolf, stalks children day and night, turning any she can lay hands on into statues, frozen forever in their final moments of terror.

Together with the other lost children they encounter, Holly and Hector will have to unravel the mysterious origins of the Hiddenseek and find a way to put a stop to the curse once and for all, before they get stuck there forever . . . Because in this twisted game of hide-and-seek, they are playing for their lives.

Genres: Middle Grade, Horror, Fantasy, Halloween, Childrens, Young Adult, Fiction

256 pages, Hardcover

Published August 24, 2021

About the author

Nate Cernosek is a writer and author of children’s fiction. He earned a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Evansville and is a graduate of Emerson College’s MFA Program (’99).

Nate was born in Houston, Texas and spent most of his life there. He moved to Austin in 2018, where he currently lives with his wife and two children.

Nate’s debut middle grade novel, The Hiddenseek, comes out August 24, 2021, and is published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers.

“I wanted to take the familiar rules and patterns of hide and seek and twist them into something mysterious and terrifying,” says Nate. “Things that both boys and girls have all done a thousand times, like getting tagged by It or shouting Ollie-ollie-oxen-free, in the book they all have a secret origin or purpose.”

In addition to writing books for kids, Nate has also spent more than 20 years applying his knowledge of storytelling and communications for non-profit fundraising.

In Houston, he worked for Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA), Mental Health America of Greater Houston and Houston Methodist Hospital. He currently works as a writer in the development department for The University of Texas at Austin.

Reviews

[Belles Middle Grade Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so great! After another amazingly creepy read I read a few months back about hide & seek, I said I never wanted to even think about playing that game ever again-well this solidified that! Lol So creepy & awesome!

After Holly & Hector Thorn are left behind during a simple game of hide-and-seek, they find themselves transported to a gloomy, magical world seemingly trapped in time--the Hiddenseek. There, It, a witch with the ability to transform into a raven & a wolf, stalks children day & night, turning any she can lay hands on into statues, frozen forever in their final moments of terror. Together with the other lost children they encounter, Holly & Hector will have to unravel the mysterious origins of the Hiddenseek & find a way to put a stop to the curse once & for all, before they get stuck there forever . . . Because in this twisted game of hide-and-seek, they are playing for their lives.

This has a great group of kids(love!) in a dangerous game-a super spooky Hide & Seek game, with such a creepy “It”. There’s amazing friendships in here, & also a great brother sister relationship between Holly & Hector. It was a very relatable, very REAL brother sister relationship, & I appreciated that. There are many twists & turns, & I stayed on the edge of my seat-& with goosebumps! Lol Fast paced, action/suspense/danger packed read. This has all the spooky goodness I love, along with the creepy goodness I can’t get enough of. Also, so atmospheric! Highly recommend! This comes out August 24th! Stunning cover by Pete Lloyd too! Can’t wait to buy a beautiful finished copy!💜

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A horror story that will leave middle grade (and adult!) readers with goosebumps! Siblings Holly and Hector’s playground game turns into a terrifying journey through ‘the Hiddenseek,’ a sort of world-within-a-world that adds a fantastic element of historical mystery to this twisty-turny thrill-ride of a book. With a shape-shifting witch (called ‘It,’ in keeping with the hide-and-seek game) who turns children trapped in the Hiddenseek to stone, a creepy cave with ominous messages scrawled on its walls, and plenty of thrilling chase scenes, this is a page turner that kids won’t be able to put down. My thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for the advanced copy.

[Emma Ann · Rating 2 out of 5]

Melodramatic in some places and somehow not emotionally weighty enough in others. That ending was awesome, though. I’ll probably check out whatever the author writes next if it comes across my radar.

[Vernon Area Public Library KIDS · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great books for kids who love a spooky tale!

Holly is left behind in a park when she is told to hide during a game of Hidden-and-Seek. The group of kids are bullies and her younger brother is a part of the cruel joke. As she waits and waits, the park gets darker and darker, poor Holly is left alone in the dark. As she realizes no one is coming, a fog begins to creep over the park and a shady figure in the shape of a man appears! Holly is even more frightened and runs home. When she gets home she runs to her father and tries to get his attention but he doesn't even notice her. She grows extremely concerned and as she turns around the shady figure is in her home behind her! The Shady figure is a man with an old timey hat and his name is Oliver. Oliver tells her, "No one can see her now. And she must play Hiddenseek in order to become visible again". She doesn't believe him and runs to her mom but her mom doesn't even notice her! Holly realizes that she has no choice but to listen to what the creepy guy wants or risk being lost to her family forever. As she enters his horse and carriage, Oliver tells her to wait patiently while he retrieves her brother Hector! Holly and Hector have to put their differences aside and work together to escape The Hiddenseek. Would they be able to do it or will they be lost forever?

Available on Overdrive/Libby, as a downloadable e-book.

Reviewed by: Miss Nessa Villarreal, Youth and School Services Librarian, Vernon Area Public Library

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a person who enjoys mystery novels, this book was right up my alley. Even though I usually don’t read books, and when I do, I read them in small chunks infrequently, I read this over the course of one day. The Hiddenseek is a book that’s hard to put down, with all of its suspenseful moments and cliffhangers throughout. As an older sibling myself, the sibling rivalry felt genuine and something I’m sure a lot of people could relate with. All of the characters were very fleshed out, and were unique from one another. Anybody who loves scary, mysterious, suspenseful novels will surely enjoy this one!

[Mag · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coup de coeur! Bien écrit, la tension s'installe dès la première phrase pour ne jamais retomber. Angoissant et captivant.

[Piper Peters · Rating 3 out of 5]

meh

[Ro (Jane)]

Liked it! Idk why but reminds me of maze runner

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

[Mary Ann Fraser · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a cruel prank propels Hector and Holly into a mysterious world called the "Hiddenseek", they find themselves hunted by a shape-shifting witch called "It" who is capable of turning children to stone with a simple touch. Together with the other lost children they will have to unravel Hiddenseek's past if they are to have any hope of surviving. This middle-grade horror story hooked me from the start with its many surprising twists and surprises. Thanks to G.P. Putnam's for the advanced reader copy.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hiddenseek was an entertaining debut pitched as the Goosebumps age group of around eight to ten. It was a quick, relatively short speedy read which should keep kids in mid to top of primary schools busy. However, I thought it was slightly too young for secondary schools but could still be useful as an easy read or for children who struggle with long books. The scares were relatively mild, so it is a very safe book to put in the hands of kids who like spooky stories and ghosts. Behind the supernatural goings on is a nice story about the importance of family, friendship, sibling rivalry and memory. The action opens with Holly and Hector Thorn playing a game of hide and seek, Holly is delighted as she does not have many friends, but she does not realise she is being tricked. Her scheming brother has set her up; as whilst she hides, nobody is looking for her and are having a good laugh at her behind her back. However, this innocent game of hide and seek triggers a supernatural event where they are transported to the land of Hiddenseek, where the game really is a matter of life and death.

Hiddenseek was a great creation, with neither of the siblings initially knowing they are both there in separate locations. They quickly find out there is a never-ending game of hide and seek going on in which if they are caught a shape-shifting witch will turn them into stone. Along the way they meet other children (who might be ghosts) and have a weird connection to their own world, in which they do not exist. There were a lot of clever ideas thrown into the plot as the siblings realise they have to team up if they want to get home and solve the mystery in how to do so. In the end they cracked it pretty easily, but it was a nice blend of fantasy, thriller and spooky goings on. AGE RANGE 8-11

[Laura Quinn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I need to preface this with a bit about my own background- a GenXer who grew up playing “Jail Break” (a mash up of hide-and-seek/ tag/ & cops-and-robbers). I’m also the mom of two wonderful kids- a brother/sister combo aged 11 & 8, both of whom are involved in scouting and love running around outside. My son even has his own guillie suit for playing “Man Hunt” (his friends’ version of old-school “Jail Break”) on camping trips.

So, when I saw this book was up for a give-away, of COURSE I entered. And- you guessed it- I won, too.

I really enjoyed this read. It was fast paced and kept (even adult me) guessing. The wording is simple enough for my younger reading 8 y.o., the plot attention holding and complex for my older child.

But the best part? The parent in me really appreciated the sibling dynamic portrayed. It was honest and very realistic. There are squabbles. Miscommunications. Hurt feelings. You know- sibling stuff. If you are a parent/ guardian you know how hard it is not to get involved and referee. In The Hiddenseek, the characters are left to their own devices to overcome these difficulties. A great lesson for kids (with being overtly preachy).

The only reason I did not give a 5 star review was that the characters’ ages are not provided. The reader should be able to ascertain that Holly and Hector are upper elementary/ middle school aged, but we are not given actual ages or grades (such as in Harry Potter or Judy Blume’s Fudge books). I can only speak for my own children, but they like being able to identify with those small details. Otherwise, very enjoyable and nicely done!!

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The only thing worse than being found while playing hide and seek is not being found at all. When Holly was playing hide and seek with her brother, Hector, and his friends, she wasn’t found. She came out of her hiding spot and saw a man, named Oliver, who told her he must take her to a place called The Hiddenseek since she lost the game. Hector also wasn’t found, so he was sent to The Hiddenseek with Holly. Now, they’re in an even more dangerous game, being chased by It, a witch who can turn them to stone if she catches them. Holly and Hector have to win the game to save their lives.

Most kids play hide and seek, but usually the stakes are not as high as they are in The Hiddenseek. It’s not fun to not be found, because, though it could mean that you found a great hiding place, it could also mean that the other players forgot about you. Holly and Hector, along with the other kids they meet, were all tricked while playing hide and seek and not found. This was the ultimate worst ending to a game of hide and seek.

This was a spooky story. The kids were transported to a forest with a deep history. They had to figure out why they had been brought there before they could find their way home. I would have loved this spooky horror story when I was a kid!

The Hiddenseek is a creepy middle grade story!

Thank you Penguin Teen for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jennifer Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holly and Hector Thorn were playing a game of hide and seek and were never found, so they ended up in a alternate universe called "The Hiddenseek". There they meet several other children who were also playing hide and seek and never found. When IT finds you she turns you to stone. As Holly, Hector and the others try to stay away from It, they begin to discover the history of how and when Hiddenseek was created and they try to fix it so they can get home, but things spiral out of control pretty quickly and it becomes a ticking clock of who will survive and make it out.

Pretty good book. Similar to Hide and Seeker, which I read and reviewed, but a little more historical feel to this one.

[Sammie]

DNF @ 40%

Nothing really wrong with this story. It's just a little younger than I thought it was when I picked it up, and I was in the mood for some spooky middle grade horror. This was on the younger end and not as creepy. Since I'm a horrible mood reader, I set this down to read something else.

[Abby Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-done scary book for young readers. It has some pretty creepy moments... especially the "It" character. I thought the plot was fairly sophisticated with a bit of history sprinkled in (Witch trials and such). The characters were pretty flat, but I think kids would be pretty intrigued overall. Grades 4+

[Dee Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have you ever wondered whatever happens to the children who play hide and seek that never get found?? Well this creepy story has the perfect explanation for you! They end up in the hiddenseek where being found can cost you your life.

This was an enjoyable quick read with an interesting back story.

[Aeron Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great

The story itself for my kid she loved it she always set a gaol for how many pages she should read and always ended up reading extra to parts though were pretty sad for her in the middle and at the end but once she read that the twins were safe and every one who turned into stone were safe

[Ashlee Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hide and seek will never be the same for me! The magical realm of the hiddenseek was well written. The way that this book was written was easy to read. The story flowed nicely. The found family/new friends made was amazing! I would recommend it, especially to the young readers who like a little suspense and mystery thrown in their readings.

[beccasbookscapes]

I really liked the book and the concept behind Hiddenseek. Then the mysterious reason for the children being turned to stone unraveling while we are at the edge of seats hoping the children will be saved. Perfect spooky book for Fall.

[Dustin Putman · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE HIDDENSEEK by Nate Cernosek is an imaginative, creepy, fast-paced, heartfelt MG novel for the approaching spooky season, led by a complicated and touching relationship between its main characters, young siblings Holly and Hector. Readers of all ages, seek this thrilling gem out.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I'm a bit too old for this one. It's an effectively creepy idea, and there's some good imagery, but the story is a bit too brief/quick for an adult reader. I suspect none of the things I'd complain about would matter to the target audience, though.

[Simone · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary (but not too scary) story for 3rd-5th grade. I loved the mystery and world-building, and the short chapters and non-stop action made this a quick, engrossing read.

A great book to hand to fans of Goosebumps or Katherine Arden's Small Spaces series.

[Zev · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a delightfully creepy book! I was able to predict the ending fairly early on, but that was the only thing. The author was so creative! I was so glad to read this.

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Purchased without reading,but won't book talk;my acting skills are only so good. Students will check out based on the great cover, but I don't know if they'll read it.

[Nessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Who knew hide and seek could be soooo spooky! Definitely worth the read! Siblings Holly and Hector get transported into the land of Hiddenseek and have to stay hidden or risk getting caught!

[P · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot see the game Hide and Seek in the same way after reading this book. But it's so good, I also flew through this one. MG Spooky books are just killing it lately, and I'm loving it so much!

[State Library of Iowa YS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Featured in October 2021 Check It Out!

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, fast-paced scary story for kids!

[Molly]

Scary, creepy, middle grade novel