The Pack

by Elisa Carbone

“When Akhil Vyas showed up at school in early October, I thought he was, without a doubt, the weirdest person on earth.” These are the words of Becky Tuttle, one of the most unpopular girls in the entire school. And Akhil is weird, with his scarred body and his strange refusals to sit in a chair. Becky, knowing Akhil will be the new target for criticism and bullying, decides to stay as far away from him as possible. But when Becky’s only friend, Omar, begins to talk to Akhil and eat lunch with him, Becky is at first resentful, but then thinks maybe Akhil’s not so bad after all. Though Becky, Akhil, and Omar all quickly become friends, Becky still wonders about Akhil’s secrets, and why the National Institute of Health is studying him. But soon after Akhil reveals his amazing secret, there are more urgent things to worry about—such as what Kyle Metzger, the racist school bully, is planning. With a little illegal action and a lot of guts, Becky, Akhil, and Omar (the “Three Misfit Musketeers”) stumble across a horrible plan, which they just might be able to stop before it’s too late.

Although this book was relatively short, it had a really great story, interesting characters, and a good moral. The Pack will have you eagerly reading until the very end (at which you’ll probably start sobbing). I’d definitely recommend it.