Austin may not be highly expressive, but he stands out for his drawing skills. He tries to communicate through realistic drawings of what he sees in his environment. In contrast, Colton is an energetic boy with few friends. That is why it is easy to empathize with the brothers. They have realistic personalities and feel the frustration of not being understood, each from a different point of view. In this sense, Michael J. Bowler shares a complex and emotional story. The settings are well described and varied: school, home, a mysterious forest, and even a laboratory where government agents are involved. All of this adds depth to the story. But what I liked most is how the author highlights the variety of feelings of the characters, including the parents who try not to lose hope.

The plot is good, although in one part I felt it diverted into red herrings. When the government gets involved in the case, everything goes in one direction. But then there's a very abrupt shift in the story when Colton is about to solve the mystery. If that government part had been condensed a bit, the pace would have been more dynamic. However, in Losing Austin, interest is always present because when something seems to be solved, new doubts arise, complicating the case even further.