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Joy McCullough writes books and plays from her home in the Seattle area, where she lives with her husband and two children. She is the author of the middle grade novels Across the Pond, A Field Guide to Getting Lost, Not Starring Zadie Louise, Code Red, and Basil & Dahlia, as well as the middle grade series Team Awkward, and the picture books Harriet’s Ruffled Feathers, Champ and Major: First Dogs, and The Story of a Book. Her debut novel Blood Water Paint was longlisted for the National Book Award and was a William C. Morris Debut Award Finalist. Visit her at JoyMcCullough.com. Shane Cluskey is an illustrator from Galway, Ireland. His work has been recognized by the Society of Illustrators and by American Illustration, and he has worked with such clients as the New Yorker, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. His favorite dessert is a warm chocolate brownie covered in ice cream (without the secret ingredient). You can see more of his work at ShaneCluskey.com.
"" . . . the piquant tale is rich in twists made all the more delicious by Cluskey's retro-style illustrations and the narrative's mildly gothic tone.""--Booklist ""[A] bitingly humorous and appealingly weird action-adventure narrative studded with surreal illustrations by Cluskey.""--Publishers Weekly ""4/29/24"" ""[A] comically arch third-person narrator. . . a pleasingly over-the-top villain surrounded by ridiculously self-serving sycophants . . . edgy, stylish, black-and-white illustrations that have a retro feeling and enhance the drama. A deliciously satisfying romp.""--Kirkus Reviews ""A cross between 'A Series of Unfortunate Events' and 'Hansel and Gretel, ' this is a whimsical and suspenseful story about two formerly homeschooled orphans. . . . Fans of Lemony Snicket and Western fairy tales will devour this darkly humorous read.""--School Library Journal ""5/1/24"" ""A quirky, lightly magical mystery filled with mouthwatering food and sinister adults. . . . McCullough's character work shines: the titular heroes struggle with guilt over their parents' demise even as they consistently support each other; the creative yet dastardly villains are only outshone by the everyday workers who step up to help. . . . Stark, stylized illustrations from Cluskey (The Sackville Street Caper) are perfectly creepy and help set the unconventional tone.""--Shelf Awareness
