A boy must thwart a dreadful scheme to separate people from their memories.Eleven-year-old Ewan's grief is so contained that he hasn't cried in years despite losing both of his parents. His mother, who built the house they had lived in, died when he was 7; his father disappeared when Ewan was 9. Resolved to find his father-who was taken away by a cloud according to Grumple, the grandfather Ewan and his sister now live with-Ewan sets out on a journey up the Newfoundland coast to the place his father spent childhood summers. He's joined by his irrepressible 7-year-old sister, Flora, and Mr. So-and-So, an unusual purveyor of notions who wields unpredictable magic. Smith deftly avoids being twee, employing rich, alliterative language and contrasting amusing fantasy elements with Ewan's stolidity. That he carries a burden of grief and sorrow that he can't easily release comes across in subtle details. The characters all read white; the post–World War I setting of fishing villages and farms is revealed in small details about clothing, transportation, and songs. Just as Ewan finds insights into his sadness, he is confronted by the discovery that darker forces are at work. The story is reminiscent of Richard Kennedy and Kate DiCamillo in its mixture of strong, somewhat eccentric fantasy elements and confrontation of sorrow.Complex and memorable. (Fantasy. 9-13)

Starred Review A few days ago, Ewan was safe somewhat sad side his grandfather's house, looking after his spitfire little sister, Flora, and waiting for their cloud-riding father to return. Now, he and Flora are on an unexpected quest to retrieve their father in a car-turned-boat, accompanied by an emotionally unavailable cat, a shell-shocked pigeon, and the puzzling Mr. So-and-So, whose malapropisms and bizarre behavior disguise a surprisingly insightful soul. Wonderfully whimsical and positively poignant, Ewan's journey to find his father and his own strength propels him across a colorful 1920s Newfoundland landscape populated with imaginative characters. Ewan is an uncommonly nurturing and thoughtful protagonist, qualities shown through his loving relationship with Flora. The responsibility he feels after their mother's death and father's disappearance is challenged by Mr. So-and-So's magical, haphazard approach to solving problems (he claims to be "10 percent magic and 90 percent guts"), and their reluctant friendship is a highlight of the story. Supported by the people (and animals) around him, Ewan gradually embraces sorrow and discovers the quiet joy waiting on the other side of grief. The book compassionately explores how grief affects children and adults alike and how to forgive the perfectly imperfect people who love us. Acclaimed author Smith delivers a rollicking, dreamlike adventure full of humor and healing. This book is at least 10 percent magic.