Julian, 9, calls himself a "uni-sensor," a person who receives information from the universe. He is precocious, passionate about astronomy, and so terrified of drowning that he saved his allowance for a life jacket. He wears it all the time because he and his family (sister Pookie, 14; his mother, Michelle; and Joan, Michelle's wife) are moving to a house on a lake in Maine, where they plan to open a B&B. Their plans are put on hold when their neighbor takes them to court over an expansion Julian's family planned to build, but then Julian connects with the neighbor, a grieving widower, who helps him overcome some of his fears. Though the resolution might require some suspension of disbelief, given Julian's general character and perspective, it works. All of Erskine's cast are fairly well-rounded, but Julian stands out as an especially well-developed character, whose brainy obsessions and sense of humor come through in "Facts and Random Thoughts" sections (aka "FARTS"). This intricate and thoughtful story about love, hope, and courage is movingly filled with detailed and realistic characters.

Nine-year-old Julian is gifted both emotionally and intellectually, but these assets come at a sometimes-distressing cost.He, his 14-year-old sister, Pookie, and his two moms, Mom and Joan, all apparently white, have just moved to rural Maine to open a bed and breakfast—and also to get Julian, who has a heart condition, out of a difficult school environment. He's tormented by anxieties, nightmares, Mom's severe overprotectiveness (somewhat offset by Joan's more relaxed parenting style), and especially by their deteriorating relationship with Pookie, who seems always to be angry these days. He manages to cope by immersing himself in his passion, astronomy. After a neighbor threatens to sue the family over an addition to their new house, Julian befriends the elderly, grieving white man, bereft after his wife's death. In return, "Mr. X" decides to help Julian overcome his paralyzing fear of swimming. Julian gently narrates this immersive tale, Erskine employing Julian's "uni-sensor" abilities (a quasi-magical, extrasensory connection with others) to reveal richly nuanced characters. It's only near the conclusion that he discloses just how extraordinary his bond with others can be. Julian's Facts and Random Thoughts ("FARTS," natch), represented as sidebars in his handwriting, add insight into the boy's psyche but also provide fascinating tidbits of trivia. A timeless and affecting, slightly paranormal exploration of familial attachments. (Fiction. 11-14)

Inquisitive and kept sheltered, nine-year-old Julian is drawn to his elderly new neighbor, Mr. X., after he moves to Maine with his mother, stepmother, and older sister to open a bed-and-breakfast. As Julian chips away at Mr. X-s curmudgeonly exterior, the two strike a bargain: if Julian faces his fear of swimming, Mr. X will adopt a dog. Julian-s self-proclaimed -uni-sense,- an extrasensory connection to the universe and those around him, and belief that he-ll become part of the star Sirius after his death highlight his singular way of looking at the world. Julian is wise, thoughtful, and confident in his knowledge of human nature and science (especially astronomy), which he shares with readers in -FART!- sidebars (standing for -facts and random thoughts-). Julian is aware that his enthusiasms are not always well received (-People think I-m weird, which I-m not, I just think about stuff a lot-), but readers will fall for his candidness. His relationships with Mr. X and his tempestuous older sister, Pookie, are sensitively depicted, showcasing the growing understanding among these memorable characters. Ages 8-12. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (Oct.)

Gr 5-8Nine-year-old Julian is an unusual kid. He's seriously obsessed with space, he has friends in alternate universes, he wears a life preserver at all times to feel safe around waterand he sometimes has the magical ability to know what others are thinking. In an energetic inner monologue interspersed with physics facts, he tells the story of his family's move to rural Maine and their growing connection with an elderly man. The protagonist, his 14-year-old sister Pookie, their mom, and their stepmother Joan have left Washington, DC, behind for the slower pace of owning a lakeside bed-and-breakfast. Their loving family is going through a rough time: Pookie snarls with chronic teenage resentment, Julian's behavior is so extreme that his uber-anxious mom wants to homeschool him to avoid further bullying; his parents also worry about his mysterious health issues. When their retired neighbor sends a lawyer over because their new bed-and-breakfast addition illegally blocks his water view, Pookie decides the best way to lower the collective stress level is for Julian to befriend "Mr. X" next door and convince him to drop his lawsuit. The resulting interactions lead to a happy ending that changes everyone's lives. Julian's distinctive narration, awash in supernatural perceptions as well as a nine-year-old's natural misconceptions, is a tour de force on par with that of Ted Spark in Siobhan Dowd's The London Eye Mystery and Salamanca Tree Hiddle's journey in Sharon Creech's Walk Two Moons. VERDICT Touching contemporary magical realism, with a final twist that truly surprises.Beth Wright Redford, Richmond Elementary School Library, VT