So, my teenager just finished Andrew Smith's 'Passenger' and actually talked about it for a bit, which is a rare win! It picks up with Jack and Conner heading back to Marbury. Apparently, they need to save more friends and try to take down this 'lens' that's been sending them to another world. If your kid is into stories about parallel dimensions and intense rescue missions, this might be right up their alley.
I was a little hesitant after seeing the publisher warnings about the pervasive vulgarity and graphic violence. My kid confirmed it's pretty intense on those fronts, so fair warning there. They were totally engrossed though, flying through the pages faster than I expected for a book this size. The writing definitely keeps you on your toes, and while the alternate world stuff can get a bit wild, my kid said it was easy enough to follow the main storyline. No pictures in this one, just a lot of compelling narrative.
From a school perspective, this one clocks in with a decent 17 AR points, which is fantastic for knocking out reading goals. It's an AR Level 4.5, so a solid challenge for a confident reader, probably best for kids in high school given the Upper Grades interest level. With 116,711 words, it's definitely a substantial read, not a quick flip. My tenth grader found it completely manageable but still felt like they accomplished something big finishing it.
This book is definitely for a reader who can handle dark, challenging themes and isn't sensitive to a lot of coarse language and explicit violence. If your kid enjoys complex, high-stakes science fiction with a gritty edge and doesn't mind a disturbing moment or two, they will probably find 'Passenger' really compelling. If those elements are a concern, you might want to skip this one or at least check out some detailed spoiler-free reviews first.