Paper Bag Mask by Brock Heasley

Paper Bag Mask by Brock Heasley
Publisher:  Th3rd World Studios
Publishing:  November 17th, 2026
Format Read:  Paperback  
Number of pages:   326 pages
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Opening Lines:  "At the end of his sixth hour waiting in line, Redmond hung his head in utter frustration, starred at the cold, unfeeling checkout counter, and insisted one more time:  He'd paid for the game system months ago and he was not--under any circumstances--leaving without it."

Redmond has been waiting for three years for Castle Destiny 4's release, and he even stayed up all night playing it.  Therefore, it was no surprise that he could barely keep his eyes open during AP History.  He only half heard Mr. Street when he mentioned the final that would count for 50% of their grade, or the jokes he made about Elodia to the class.   The moment the bell rings, Redmond is ready to hightail it home for another round of game play. 

Unfortunately, his history book slips from his hands and skids under a desk.  There's no way he can leave it behind because of their quiz tomorrow.  As he gets on all fours and scavenges the floor, he spies Mr. Street and Jasmine having a conversation.  When he sees them exchange small baggies, Redmond becomes convinced he has witnessed an illegal drug deal.  Filled with anger and suspicion, Redmond spots Mr. Streets prize possession, the Whomper, sitting on the lectern and impulsively he steals it.

Redmond soon learns that the hottest and most popular girl in school witnessed his theft and even has the photographic evidence.  She proposes that Redmond and his friend's team up with hers to hold the Whomper for ransom.  Before long, the students are plotting an even bigger heist while trying to expose Mr. Street to the entire school.  

This story has definite Ocean's Eleven meets The Breakfast Club vibes.  A group of students from different social circles come together to outsmart their history teacher.  There are the familiar cliques of jocks, popular kids and academic achievers, along with a shared determination to uncover what they believe is the truth about Mr. Street.  One of my favorite parts is the ransom video the students create, complete with the outlandish threats of what they will do to the Whomper if Mr. Street doesn't meet their demands.  The accompanying illustrations depicting the scenes from the video were a highlight of the book for me.  I couldn't help laughing with each new thing they came up with.  Their escalating schemes, however, make it increasingly likely that they'll get caught. 

Redmond is an interesting protagonist.  He genuinely believes that he is doing the right thing by exposing Mr. Street, yet he is also confused about what compelled him to steal the Whomper in the first place.  He jumps to conclusions and gets swept up in the attention that comes with his growing notoriety.  Like The Breakfast Club, the story raises questions about friendship and belonging.  Will this band of misfits still hang out after their prank is over?   It really captures the pressures of high school and the desire to find your crowd. 

Redmond's closest friends are Deep Singh and Alice.  I especially enjoyed Alice's character.  She is very loyal and always tries to look out for her friend's best interest, even when they disagree.  Elodia is equally loyal.  Although she's popular, she doesn't let it define her.   Her friendship with Jasmine is especially important to her and she is willing to support her however she can.  The story occasionally shifts to Alice's and Elodia's perspectives, revealing additional layers to their motivations.  Finally, I really enjoyed the footnotes from our unreliable narrator, which added levity to the story.  Paper Bag Mask is a reimagining of a prank that Brock Heasley and his friends pulled when they were in high school.  It's a delightful story that highlights the importance of forgiveness, taking responsibility for our actions and making amends when we've done something wrong.