MMGM-102 Days of Lying About Lauren

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Jortner, Maura. 102 Days of Lying About Lauren

June 20, 2023 by Holiday House

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Mouse works at the amusement park, sweeping up the mess that people makes on the grounds, and races Tanner to work every morning. She's always beaten him, and he suspects she has a secret parking space. She doesn't; she's been living at the park in an upper room in the Haunted Mansion since her mother abandoned her at there at the beginning of May. She has stolen an employee polo and gets breakfast left out by a bagel shop and gets a quesadilla every day from a shop that thinks the meal has been paid for, so is managing to survive. She worries a lot about being discovered, so has a set of rules for herself that she writes on a board in her room. There is an undercover security guard of whom she is especially wary. She tries not to think about her mother, but just continues to get up every morning, sweep the park, and hang out with Tanner. Tanner is the son of the CEO of the park, and seems like he is constantly making his father angry. As the summer winds down, he thinks that he won't see as much of Mouse, and asks her to help him pick out a gift at the park gift shop "for a friend". Mouse picks out a pin, but it reminds her of her mother. There isn't a lot of time to worry about this, since a girl at the park has recognized Mouse as Lauren Suszek, who has been reported missing. There's also a tornado approaching the park. Because of the girl following her, Cat, she doesn't make it into the storm shelter in time. Tanner shows up, having a massive panic attack, and the three try to weather the storm in the Haunted Mansion. Tanner calms down, but is badly injured, and the sad story of his life comes out. Cat tries to persuade Mouse that she can come and live with her and her mother. When help comes, there are more offers for Mouse to consider, and some surprising helpers come to light. Mouse won't be able to live with her mother, but she won't have to fend for herself in the park any more. 

Strengths: Who hasn't thought about running away from home? And wouldn't an amusement park be a great place to go? Granted, Mouse was abandoned, but this takes away the blame from her, which is a good move. Her friendship with Tanner is nice to see, and there certainly are 12 year olds who are tall and look older. While there is a lot of drama that goes on during the storm, it wasn't the "child goes missing as tornado approached" trope that we see a lot in middle grade. I liked that Cat was looking for her cousin, and the involvement of social workers at the end was realistic. There was a bit of a twist with how Mouse was getting her food that was nice, if a bit unrealistic. There should be a lot more books involving amusement parks!
Weaknesses: I would have much rather seen more details about how Mouse was living in the park (Where did she bathe? Wash her clothes? What did she do at night when the park was empty? Couldn't she have found a lot more in the lost and found that just a threadbare beach towel? I also would have thought she could have gotten a lot more food that people left behind, especially since she was always going around with a dust pan.) and less about Tanner's family grief. I'm never a fan of any book where a grief stricken mother "won't get out of bed" and neglects a surviving child. 
What I really think: I'll purchase this one because who DOESN'T want to live in an amusement park for the summer, even if it involves sweeping every day? This has some similarities to Kear's Foreverland and Newman's One Mixed-Up Night, where the children spend the night in an Ikea. Alexander's Escape is a good scary book, but not as good as a realistic look at what it would be like to live in an amusement park. This is a fun middle grade adventure that also has enough serious moments to make it a good book for the ever present Book Project. I'm interested to see what Jortner writes next.