Debut author Netz presents charismatic characters in a captivating, magical setting. Jerusha Eliana Blum, a white girl known as Jerry, has a genetic degenerative disease, which means she needs to use a wheelchair. After her father's death and losing their home, she and her mother arrive in Windy Pines, Georgia, where her mother has gotten a job helping to maintain a motel. An imaginary friend Yiddish-speaking dragon with pigeon wings named Paul lps homeschooled Jerry cope with loneliness. Soon, the perceptive 11-year-old suspects her mother is working on something secret in the forest, and the town's history of missing people begins to worry Jerry. When she meets Chapel Bell, a Black sixth-grader living in the motel due to a house fire, they bond over being treated differently based on others' preconceived notions and become friends. When Jerry's mom disappears, Jerry and Chapel enter the forest to find her. With a satisfying emotional arc, Jerry's story sensitively tackles such topics as ableism and bullying, and her sharp intellect, paired with Paul's wit, adds humor and levity.

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.)