Field Guide to the Supernatural Universe

Unlike those around him, 12-and-a-half-year-old white Maxen Smith has always been able to see ghosts, though he wishes he didn’t. When his goal of an incident-free school year is ruined by a viral video of him fighting off invisible monsters, Max’s father sends him to spend the summer with his grandfather, ghost hunter Ramhart Woodbead, “the Indiana Jones of the supernatural world.” Max hopes to find a way out of “the wrong side of normal” by using Ramhart’s book, Field Guide to the Supernatural Universe. Instead, Ramhart introduces Max to their family legacy as minders of the veil, tasked with keeping the balance between the realm’s ghosts and monsters, and the rest of the world. When Ramhart is incapacitated, it’s up to Max and his new friends—white Bex, Latina Jools, and Indian Krish—to save the world from a supernatural storm. Noël (The Bone Thief) weaves myth, folklore, and conspiracies with wry humor and bone-chilling moments, creating an entertaining deep dive into the paranormal. While Max’s stubborn refusal to embrace his situation and insistence on being “normal” is sometimes repetitive, his narrative voice is attention-grabbing, ideal for this “anything goes” adventure. Ages 8–12. Agent: Elizabeth Bewley, Sterling Lord Literistic. (Mar.)