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From the New York Times bestselling author of the Last Magician series comes a heart-wrenching middle grade debut steeped in magical realism about a bird-loving boy who moves to the countryside where he encounters dangerous creatures invading through a rip in the sky.
Xavier T. Fletcher is an Odd Duck. At least, that’s what everyone in his sleepy little suburb seems to think. Luckily, birds happen to be the aspiring naturalist’s favorite things, so he doesn’t mind the label quite as much as you might expect.
But when Xavier’s father loses his job, everything changes. His family is forced to move to his Nana Susan’s farm. There, he meets Clementine, a strange, messy girl who doesn’t see him as an Odd Duck at all. Too bad she has the unfortunate habit of using her slingshot to hunt the birds he loves. Xavier’s not sure what to think when Clem assures him that they aren’t really birds. He’s even less sure when he discovers that Clem isn’t lying.
The bird-like creatures come from the Rend, a tear in the sky between our world and the Nother’s, and the objects they carry in their beaks from that cold, dark place are dangerous. It’s up to Xavier and Clem to find a way to keep the creatures out of our world. But how can he protect the Rend when he suspects Clem hasn’t told him the whole truth about what she’s doing?
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781534431904
Number of pages: 320
Weight: 390 g
Dimensions: 210 x 140 x 25 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
"The worldbuilding is tight in this eerie take on the battle between good and evil with a distinct message about the environmental impact of human activity…Searing and satisfying.” - Kirkus Reviews, 6/1/24
"In her middle grade debut, Maxwell presents through a realistic lens an approachable, magical adventure that’s reminiscent of A Wrinkle in Time." - Publishers Weekly, 7/8/2024
"The enthralling story employs delightfully precise and sophisticated language to conjure a disquieting countryside setting that feels both cozy and menacing in turn. Xavier makes for a charming and compassionate companion, and the complicated familial relationships feel eminently relatable. A pleasurable page-turner with style and suspense to spare." - Booklist, 6/1/2024
"Maxwell's poignant middle-grade debut reads like an endearing oral history with an enchanting third-person narrator who at times speaks directly to readers. The robust woodsy setting is as wondrous as it is uncanny, and Maxwell includes a great amount of humor through wry excerpts from Xavier's field guide, Notes for the National Society of Natural Things by Milton von Wimple II. The author tactfully depicts frayed family ties while still warming the heart through Xavier's enigmatic friendship with the "prickly-but-lovable" Clem. A charming celebration of naturalism and self-confidence." - Shelf Awareness, 8/23/24
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