Copyright Date:
2024
Edition Date:
2024
Release Date:
03/12/24
Pages:
199 pages
ISBN:
0-06-326653-9
ISBN 13:
978-0-06-326653-7
Dewey:
Fic
LCCN:
2023937116
Dimensions:
22 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
Publishers Weekly
(Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
Grit and compassion bolster this exhilarating folkloric adventure by debut author Netz. After a period of upheaval following the death of her father, disabled 11-year-old Jerry Blum and her mother settle at the Slumbering Giant Motel in rural Georgia. There, Jerry’s mother begins a new job while Jerry acclimates herself to the relatively wheelchair-friendly environment. Bored and lonely, Jerry grows suspicious of her mother’s mysterious new gig, which sends her into the nearby woods where loggers have recently disappeared. Accompanied by her imaginary Yiddish-speaking dragon friend Paul, Jerry embarks on an investigation. Much of this bewitching story hinges on the formidable nerve and charisma of the Jewish, olive-skinned protagonist, whose adventure takes on a positive spin after she befriends Chapel Bell, a Black sixth grader living in the motel with her family following a house fire. The two girls bond over being treated differently and, after Jerry’s mother vanishes, find themselves lost in the woods and vulnerable to the shadowy creatures that dwell there. Using vivid supernatural phenomena to facilitate deep human connection, Netz crafts a succinct tale with memorable characters, a fearsome mythology, and dark charm. Ages 8–12. (Mar.)
Reviewing Agencies: - Find Other Reviewed Titles
Publishers Weekly
(Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)
In this debut spooky adventure, Jerry and her trusty wheelchair move into a creepy motel at the edge of the woods where nothing is as it seems. When her mom disappears, it’s up to Jerry to brave the forest and its demons so she can save what’s left of her family.
Ever since her dad died, 11-year-old Jerry Blum and her mom have bounced around dead-end towns, staying in a series of rundown motels where her mother picks up housekeeping work and Jerry can get around in her wheelchair.
But the Slumbering Giant motel is different. Lights blink on and off in the surrounding trees, a mysterious radio station plays only at midnight, and people disappear into the woods, never to been seen again. Not to mention that Jerry’s mom keeps vanishing to do “special work” that she refuses to discuss. When her mother doesn’t come home one morning, Jerry springs into action.
Luckily, she’s not alone. Paul, a pocket-size imaginary dragon, and Chapel, a new friend with a penchant for the supernatural, join Jerry’s search for her missing mom. But along the way Jerry discovers her mother’s terrible secret: she’s not a housekeeper at all; in fact, she’s been defending the town from demons that have been haunting it for generations.
Armed with nothing but a Ren Faire sword and a backpack, Jerry and her friends venture into the forbidden woods to save Jerry’s mother. But the “demons” hiding there aren’t what they seem, and Jerry must unravel the truth behind the town’s legend, or risk losing what’s left of her family.
Common Core
STEAM
Graphic
Novel
High/Low
Chapter
Book
Large
Print
Series Tracker
Manga
Big
Book
Board
Book
Hot
Title
Adult
Language
Mature
Content
Ebook
Ebook
MUA (Multi User Access)
Light Novel
