Shiny Happy People

Gr 9 Up–A sci-fi horror story that builds upon classic body snatcher tales, with the addition of drug addiction and gaslighting for a twist that leads readers to an unexpected ending. Kyra Cartwright, 16, is the adopted daughter of a biotech engineer and a third-grade teacher. One morning, she notices that her adoptive brother, Gabe, is acting strangely. Her father tells Kyra that she is imagining the changes, even though he admits to giving Gabe a new experimental product from his biotech firm in an effort to relieve Gabe’s chronic pain. Chapman quickly builds the suspense by introducing a viral sensation called Sporing, which centers on a new pill that makes users feel shiny and happy. Kyra’s circle of people becomes smaller and smaller as each person becomes shiny and happy. The pressure to join her family and friends is almost unbearable, but Kyra just cannot shake the idea that something is not right. Her feelings are justified when she discovers the husk of her brother in his bedroom closet. Chapman approaches the line of too much gore, but never crosses it, while steadily increasing the tension as Kyra has to face what has become of her family, friends, and community. Kyra and her family are assumed to be white, but secondary characters are diverse in both ethnicity and sexuality/gender.