In the midst of his parents’ divorce, Jack leaves San Francisco to live with his unusual aunt and uncle in Iowa where, much to his surprise, he is suddenly the center of the town’s attention. It’s not all welcome, however, as some of that attention is inexplicably devoted to trying to kill him. In a starred review for Booklist, Michal Cart says, “The answers are not given up easily, and that’s just one facet of this delightful puzzle of a book that is filled with wonders and magic, yes, but magic that is ancient, numinous, and tied to the natural world.… [Barnhill’s] plotting and characterization…provide a foundation for the omnipresent magic that elevates this title to the first rank of contemporary children’s literature. Best of all, an open ending suggests the possibility of a sequel. Readers can only hope.”
