From the New York Times bestselling author of the Secret Series comes a darkly funny middle-grade novel about a boy who wants the world to disappear. This fantastical quest for comfort and belonging is perfect for fans of classics like The Phantom Tollbooth and Coraline.
THE ANTI-BOOK
by Raphael Simon
Dial Books, April 2021
Mickey is angry all the time: at his divorced parents, at his sister, and at his two new stepmoms, both named Charlie. And so he can’t resist the ad inside his pack of gum: « Do you ever wish everyone would go away? Buy The Anti-Book! Satisfaction guaranteed. » He orders the book, but when it arrives, it’s blank—except for one line of instruction: To erase it, write it. He fills the pages with all the things and people he dislikes . . . Next thing he knows, he’s wandering an anti-world, one in which everything and everyone familiar is gone. Or are they? His sister soon reappears—but she’s only four inches tall. A tiny talking house with wings looks strangely familiar, as does the mysterious half-invisible boy who seems to think that he and Mickey are best buds. The boy persuades Mickey to go find the Bubble Gum King—the king, who resides at the top of a mountain, is the only one who might be able help Mickey fix the mess he’s made.
Full of humor and surprise, and slyly meaningful, this is a Wizard of Oz for today’s generation—a fantastical quest for comfort and belonging that will resonate with many, many readers.
Raphael Simon is an author who lives in Pasadena, CA, with his husband and twin daughters. He is definitely not the alter ego of infamously anonymous author Pseudonymous Bosch, writer of the New York Times bestselling Secret Series and the Bad Books.
Coop Cooperson is the only human kid at Dungeoneer Academy, a school for future explorers in the Land of Eem, a world of monsters, mazes, mayhem—and even magic! Coop is surrounded by great friends—Oggie (hulking, sensitive bugbear), Mindy (whiz kid imp), and Daz (would-be class superstar boggart, if she only applied herself). Together, they become literal lifesavers when a school-trip-gone-wrong flings the kids into an adventure that puts all their Dungeoneer skills to the test. As Coop and his misfit friends try to find their way home, they’ll face more than their own fears to overcome a menagerie of dangerous creatures, obstacles, and a mysterious enemy from the Academy’s past.
With a touch, Lexi can sense how and when someone will die. Some say it’s a gift. But to Lexi it’s a curse—one that keeps her friendless and alone. All that changes when Lexi foresees the violent death of a young woman, Jane, outside a club. Jane doesn’t go to the afterlife quietly. Her ghost remains behind, determined to hunt down her murderer, and she needs Lexi’s help. In life, Jane was everything Lexi is not—outgoing, happy, popular. But in death, all Jane wants is revenge. Lexi will do anything to help Jane, to make up for the fact that she didn’t—couldn’t—save Jane’s life, and to keep this beautiful ghost of a girl by her side for as long as possible.
In a desert outpost of the turbulent Shi Empire, Ahn lives as a dishwasher and thief. When her magic finally manifests, she becomes the most powerful weapon in the empire, but also a target of the ruthless priests loyal to the Dragon Throne. Instead of being burnt at the stake, Ahn is saved by a mysterious priest and taken to the Imperial Palace where everyone seeks to use her powers for themselves. Meanwhile, his own family murdered and his birthright hijacked, Altan must find this new powerful girl who will be the tool for his vengeance. Altan and Ahn begin an uneasy alliance but soon, the truth and depth of Ahn’s dark powers make them both question whether they’ll be able to survive the journey, let alone restore the empire.