Switchling

Debut author Fessel weaves Jumanji-like elements into a whimsical fantasy novel about shape-shifters and friendship. Eleven-year-old Beth has just moved from London to the quiet village of Ferrehaven, where she struggles to find her place. Comfort arrives in the form of a stray cat, whom Beth names Gravel for his shiny gray coat, and a tentative friendship with neighbor Miss Priskett’s great-nephew, Ernest. The tween introduces Beth to Scuttlebrush, a mysterious board game invented by his great-aunt that features brainteasing challenges and eerie miniature player tokens, such as the blank-faced Beam Reaper and the Hoarder, “a finely carved old man chained by one foot to a wooden chest.” When Gravel inexplicably vanishes and Scuttlebrush characters start appearing in Beth’s dreams, the line between fiction and reality begins to blur. Beth soon discovers that a seemingly sinister antiques salesman is connected to Gravel’s disappearance, and a shocking revelation emerges: Gravel and Ernest are the same being, cursed to transform every full moon. Beth sets off on a quest to recover a magical item that could break the enchantment. Though slow to gain momentum, it’s an innovative adventure full of magical intrigue, dreamlike puzzles, and a sense that enchantment lies just beneath the surface of everyday life. Ages 8–up. (Self-published)