The Tiltersmith

In this ecologically oriented standalone fantasy set in the same world as The Time Fetch, Herrick transfers her protagonists’ focus from the collapse of time and space to the threat of climate change. When nature gets out of hand around the vernal equinox—winter refuses to give way to spring, a tornado threatens Brooklyn residents—it’s up to four middle schoolers plagued by memory lapses and capricious entities to set things right. Soft-spoken but observant Brigit, who is white; aspiring baker Danton, who is Black; white, science-minded Edward; and artist Feenix, cued by surname as of Latinx descent individually and collectively encounter mysterious green-haired Jack, who enlists them in his search for a missing Lady whom, he claims, is essential for spring’s arrival. While their science teacher is certain that global warming is to blame for the ongoing cold, the arrival of Jack, plus manipulative, tiny-footed school superintendent Tiltersmith, leads the quartet to suspect the cause may be rooted in the supernatural. Herrick combines vivid descriptions of climate events, school-set science lessons, and weather-related stories from various cultures around the globe in a meandering novel that both resonates with current events and fits tonally alongside children’s fantasy classics. Ages 8–12. Agent: Victoria Wells Arms, Wells Arms Literary/HG Literary. (Apr.)

The text of this review has been updated to reflect the characters' ethnicities.