The Town with No Mirrors

Twelve-year-old artist Azalea “Zailey” loves studying and drawing faces, even though she has never seen her own. In her utopian community of Gladder Hill, the 102 residents are forbidden from anything that might reveal their images: cameras, mirrors, sunglasses, shiny spoons—even the water is pumped with oxygen to cloud it. To avoid delving into what the community considers “Superficiality” and to “minimize physical comparison,” denizens also wear the same clothes and buzz haircuts. After a visitor strikes up a conversation, Zailey begins wondering about her origins, including her estranged mother and her own life before Gladder Hill. The discovery of Zailey’s artwork—a collection of community portraits she’s hidden from her grandmother—sets off a startling chain of events that cause her to view Gladder Hill, the outside world, and herself innew ways. A dubious premise and heavy-handed messaging diminish the novel’s impact, but Collins (After Zero) engages in a thoughtful psychological examination of how people view themselves and their bodies, touching briefly on body dysmorphia and disordered eating, and succeeds in creating a chilling vibe. Zailey cues as white. An author’s note with resources concludes. Ages 8–12. Agent: Becky Bagnell, Lindsay Literary. (Feb.)