Overview

Ever-superstitious Alex Mills will do anything to avoid a jinx. Picking up pennies, knocking on wood, collecting rabbit’s feet . . . you name it. That is until she steps on a crack and it actually does break her mother’s back. To save her mom, Alex must follow Hubbub Caskside, a trusty leprechaun, on a journey through the end of a rainbow to Haphaven, the world where all of Earth’s superstitions draw their power. All she needs is a rabbit’s foot to save her mom, but she soon discovers the lucky article won’t be so easy to retrieve. Not only is the rabbit’s foot guarded by Haphaven’s most formidable creature, the Jinx, there’s also a forest full of trees that knock back if you don’t knock on wood, people named Penny who do not like to be picked up, and a particularly vindictive black cat who will not be crossed. As Alex finds herself desperately searching for a way to save her mom, she learns of a mysterious connection between her family’s fate and the rulers of Haphaven. With her mother’s life on the line and her own fate at stake, Alex must find the strength within herself to unlock the mystery and take back control of the superstitions that have controlled her life, even if it means crossing the Black Cat once and for all.

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9781549304118

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FOREWORD -- Traditional superstitions are the inspiration for a rich, fully imagined fantasy world in the graphic novel Haphaven. Alex, a girl who's about to turn thirteen, is captive to her superstitions. From the stories of her long dead great-great-grandfather searching for a real Lady Luck to the baseball bat her father engraved with various lucky symbols, her life is dominated by her belief in specific behaviors that can bring about-or stave off- improbable events. Prompted by her mother to abandon her superstitions, Alex steps on a sidewalk crack, which immediately sends her mother to the hospital with a broken back. Seeking salvation for her mother, Alex meets a leprechaun and embarks on a magical adventure to the world of Haphaven, where Earth's superstitions draw their power from. There, she encounters a talking black cat and a talking white rabbit and discovers the truth behind her family legends. Superstitions, less commonly mined than the fairy tales that form the foundation of so many modern fantasies, offer a well-established starting point for Haphaven. Elements such as throwing salt over one's shoulder and the luck of a rabbit's foot are combined and embellished in interesting ways, while Alex, a memorable character faced with several surprisingly stark moral dilemmas throughout the story, makes Haphaven much more than a mere checklist of superstitions. The book's art is an appealing mix of realism and cartoony exaggeration. A fast-moving tale with a satisfying conclusion, Haphaven is sure to please fans of unique fantasies.

Author Information

Norm Harper is a Los Angeles–based writer. He likes to tell stories about silly talking animals, scary monsters, and characters learning that the world isn't remotely what they thought it was. He usually manages to fit in all three. His work includes the Eisner–nominated Rikki, the Ledger award-winning YA fantasy Haphaven, and the critically acclaimed ‘80s nostalgia meta-commentary adventure The Sequels.

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