THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF JACK

THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF JACK, by Kelly Barnhill (Little Brown 2011)(ages 8 - 12).  Jack has always been overlooked by both his parents and his brother and, well, pretty much everyone else, too.  But when he's sent to live with his aunt and uncle in rural Iowa, he finds, to his surprise, that they actually see him.  And not just them: it's the strange kids in the neighborhood (who seem to want to be his friends (!)) and the police, who work for the wealthiest man in town (who wants Jack dead). And then there are the eruptions of magic...

THE MOSTLY TRUE STORY OF JACK is an atmospheric story of family and belonging and good and evil.  Jack is engaging and believable, and the mystery of the dark magic unfolds to a compelling and satisfying conclusion.