Dust & Grim

Wendig's (The Book of Accidents) middle grade debut mingles age-appropriate horror with hard-won wisdom gleaned through the eyes of 13-year-old orphan Molly Grim. Molly's always been pretty much on her own, but after her father's death, she teams up with her paternal lawyer uncle to claim half of her mother's Pennsylvania mortuary and home. But her 18-year-old brother, Dustin Ashe, currently runs the business--and has been heretofore unaware of Milly's existence. When Molly moves into the family home, the white siblings prove as different as chalk and cheese, with outspoken, outgoing, devil-may-care cosplayer Molly bringing a breath of fresh chaos to Dustin's staid undertaker lifestyle. Slowly--and much to the frustration of Dustin's business partner, Vivacia Sims, who is Black--the siblings begin to bond, and Molly starts learning the secrets of the practice, an otherworldly resting place for "nonstandard citizens." Packed with pop-culture references and creepy beings, the novel is written from Molly's sarcastic-beyond-her-years viewpoint and subtly threaded with life lessons that together create an engaging narrative. Inky chapter-heading illustrations by Eckwall (Almost a Full Moon) heighten the atmosphere. Ages 8-12. Agent: Stacia Decker, Dunow, Carlson & Lerner. (Oct.)

The supernatural realm meets a cosplayer teen in this middle grade novel. Thirteen-year-old Molly Grim, lover of all things cosplay and pop culture, is being reunited with Dustin, the estranged older brother she didn't know about after they both become orphaned. Her deadbeat dad never mentioned him or her mother, but Molly will soon discover the family estate and business is that of mortuary services for monsters, including a cemetery. Though neither sibling knew of the other's existence, the pair will have to band together as well as join other supernatural beings to defeat a powerful magic devourer who is threatening not only their business but their lives. The story is fast paced and combines the reality of a teen with fantasy worlds, but at times it seems that the author tried to accomplish too much in one book. There's more than one weak spot in the plot, but those can be overlooked if the reader is invested in the very interesting and long battle scenes. A blend of horror, spooky, funny, pop culture, cosplay, and sibling rivalry make this a suitable, if ambitious, read. VERDICT Good for collections where supernatural and adventurous fantasy circulate well.—Carol Youssif, Taipei American Sch., Taiwan