Line in the Sand

Eleven-year-old David is not ready for middle school.

All summer, he tries to enjoy water gun fights, forest adventures, and pranks with his best friend, Jeremy. But beneath the fun, David feels the world changing around him. Jeremy makes friends easily. David does not. His mother works long hours, his younger brother George depends on him, and the thought of starting a new school year fills him with dread.

Then the noises begin.

At night, something scratches, knocks, and whispers from inside David's closet. No one else hears it. No one else believes it. And when the presence finally reveals itself, it offers friendship and the one thing David wants most: a place to belong.

It is such an easy thing to say yes to, especially since all David needs to do in return is wear a hat and never speak of the entity he has just named Tim.

Soon, David is welcomed into the Citizens, an exclusive group of students whose hats mark them as special. For the first time, David feels seen, protected, and powerful. But popularity comes with a price. Those without hats are mocked as "Dweebs," hunted through the halls, and bullied into silence. As Tim's influence spreads through the school, David must decide whether fitting in is worth becoming someone he no longer recognizes.

With the help of a wrestling coach who sees his potential, a mysterious older teammate, a hidden group of outcasts, and his little brother George, David begins to discover a different kind of strength. But standing up to Tim means risking everything: his status, his friendships, and the safety of everyone who refuses to follow.

Part coming-of-age story, part supernatural literary fiction, this powerful novel explores fear and the courage it takes to draw one's own line in the sand.