Overview

Hiding is Roo Fanshaw's special skill. Living in a frighteningly unstable family, she often needs to disappear at a moment's notice. When her parents are murdered, it's her special hiding place under the trailer that saves her life.As it turns out, Roo, much to her surprise, has a wealthy if eccentric uncle, who has agreed to take her into his home on Cough Rock Island. Once a tuberculosis sanitarium for children of the rich, the strange house is teeming with ghost stories and secrets. Roo doesn't believe in ghosts or fairy stories, but what are those eerie noises she keeps hearing? And who is that strange wild boy who lives on the river? People are lying to her, and Roo becomes determined to find the truth.Despite the best efforts of her uncle's assistants, Roo discovers the house's hidden room - a garden with a tragic secret.

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9781250016669

Table of Contents

Reviews

Fans of the classic [ The Secret Garden ] will delight in the similarities and differences. -- School Library Journal Ms. Potter revives the story [of The Secret Garden] with such grace and sensitivity. -- --The Wall Street Journal Potter excels in creating quirky yet sympathetic characters with richly allusive connections to classic children's literature... -- BCCB Inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, this noteworthy novel stands wholly on its own, as Potter, with classic and contemporary storytelling flair, deftly interweaves fantasy, mystery, suspense, and realism. Beautifully wrought, eloquent prose combines with vivid setting details and diversely-drawn characters to affectingly portray themes of loneliness and grief. Roo is a memorable character--her experiences prove transformative in unexpected ways and, ultimately, her complexities and growth ring true. Poignant without sentimentality, this is a compelling read that is certain to resonate--and linger--with young readers. --Booklist, starred review Potter intentionally evokes the [Secret Garden], capturing its bittersweet emotions and fey qualities. But it is not a clone in modern dress. The author has created a fresh tale with a strong-willed heroine. . . . . An homage to a cherished classic that can work as a companion piece or stand alone as a solid, modern tale for young readers in the 21st century.-- Kirkus Reviews Potter lavishes attention on the gothic island setting and Roo's uncle's estate; it's a thrilling ghost story, but one that, like the story it's drawn from, has love and rebirth at its heart. -- Publisher's Weekly, Starred Review Praise for THE KNEEBONE BOY: .. .The story is fresh, funny and surprising. A quirky charmer. -- Kirkus Reviews, Starred review With a dark, witty absurdity suggestive of Lemony Snicket, Potter (the Olivia Kidney books) draws readers into this compelling mystery-adventure about a missing mother.... Often laugh-out-loud funny, this tale quietly solves a deeper mystery: how to heal the hearts of this immensely likable trio. - Publishers Weekly Hilarious and heartbreaking, wild and down-to-earth...The combination of fantasy and realism makes a compelling story, and young people will relate easily to the characters' struggles. As the author tells the reader, 'All great adventures have moments that are really crap.' -- Booklist Praise for Ellen Potter: Potter has written a pitch-perfect novel . . . Filled with sarcasm and lots of humor, the story is filled with intriguing characters, believable and unique. A must-have for middle school libraries everywhere. --Kids Lit for Slob Dashes of Dahl, snippets of Snicket, and heaps of Horvath humor abound, and like its prequel, this can be read on many levels . . . Sparkling writing, madcap characters, and serious themes contribute to a read-aloud that adults will enjoy as much as the children. -- Booklist for Olivia Kidney Stops for No One

Fans of the classic [ The Secret Garden ] will delight in the similarities and differences. -- School Library Journal Ms. Potter revives the story [of The Secret Garden ] with such grace and sensitivity. -- The Wall Street Journal Potter excels in creating quirky yet sympathetic characters with richly allusive connections to classic children's literature. -- BCCB * Inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, this noteworthy novel stands wholly on its own, as Potter, with classic and contemporary storytelling flair, deftly interweaves fantasy, mystery, suspense, and realism. Beautifully wrought, eloquent prose combines with vivid setting details and diversely-drawn characters to affectingly portray themes of loneliness and grief. Roo is a memorable character--her experiences prove transformative in unexpected ways and, ultimately, her complexities and growth ring true. Poignant without sentimentality, this is a compelling read that is certain to resonate--and linger--with young readers. --Booklist, starred review Potter intentionally evokes the [ Secret Garden ], capturing its bittersweet emotions and fey qualities. But it is not a clone in modern dress. The author has created a fresh tale with a strong-willed heroine. . . . An homage to a cherished classic that can work as a companion piece or stand alone as a solid, modern tale for young readers in the 21st century. -- Kirkus Reviews * Potter lavishes attention on the gothic island setting and Roo's uncle's estate; it's a thrilling ghost story, but one that, like the story it's drawn from, has love and rebirth at its heart. -- Publisher's Weekly, starred review Praise for THE KNEEBONE BOY: * The story is fresh, funny and surprising. A quirky charmer. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review With a dark, witty absurdity suggestive of Lemony Snicket, Potter draws readers into this compelling mystery-adventure about a missing mother. . . . Oft

Fans of the classic [The Secret Garden] will delight in the similarities and differences. --School Library Journal Ms. Potter revives the story [of The Secret Garden] with such grace and sensitivity. --The Wall Street Journal Potter excels in creating quirky yet sympathetic characters with richly allusive connections to classic children's literature... --BCCB This noteworthy novel stands wholly on its own, as Potter, with classic and contemporary storytelling flair, deftly interweaves fantasy, mystery, suspense, and realism. Beautifully wrought, eloquent prose combines with vivid setting details and diversely-drawn characters to affectingly portray themes of loneliness and grief. Roo is a memorable character--her experiences prove transformative in unexpected ways and, ultimately, her complexities and growth ring true. Poignant without sentimentality, this is a compelling read that is certain to resonate--and linger--with young readers. --Booklist, starred review Potter intentionally evokes the [Secret Garden], capturing its bittersweet emotions and fey qualities. But it is not a clone in modern dress. The author has created a fresh tale with a strong-willed heroine. . . . . An homage to a cherished classic that can work as a companion piece or stand alone as a solid, modern tale for young readers in the 21st century. --Kirkus Reviews Potter lavishes attention on the gothic island setting and Roo's uncle's estate; it's a thrilling ghost story, but one that, like the story it's drawn from, has love and rebirth at its heart. --Publisher's Weekly, starred review After the violent death of her drug dealer parents, Roo Fanshaw is sent to live with her wealthy and eccentric uncle on the remote Cough Rock Island in upstate New York. At first her new home seems strange compared to her life full of instability and neglect, and does nothing to lessen her instinct to hide. Small, quiet, and stubborn, Roo prefers to listen to the earth and would rather hide in caves than be around people. But slowly she grows attached to the offbeat characters that make up her new world. Secrets surround Cough Rock Island and the Fanshaw family, giving Roo a mystery to investigate. Her discovery of a garden, a friend, and a cousin draws Roo out of her shell and she ends up flourishing in her new surroundings. A novel closely inspired by The Secret Garden, Potter, who wrote The Kneebone Boy, once again produces a smart, thoughtful, and captivating story. Though a modern tale this tribute to the classic still has a timeless feel. --Emily Griffin, Children's Literature The story is fresh, funny and surprising. A quirky charmer. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review on The Kneebone Boy With a dark, witty absurdity suggestive of Lemony Snicket, Potter (the Olivia Kidney books) draws readers into this compelling mystery-adventure about a missing mother.... Often laugh-out-loud funny, this tale quietly solves a deeper mystery: how to heal the hearts of this immensely likable trio. --Publishers Weekly on The Kneebone Boy Hilarious and heartbreaking, wild and down-to-earth...The combination of fantasy and realism makes a compelling story, and young people will relate easily to the characters' struggles. As the author tells the reader, 'All great adventures have moments that are really crap.' --Booklist on The Kneebone Boy Potter has written a pitch-perfect novel . . . Filled with sarcasm and lots of humor, the story is filled with intriguing characters, believable and unique. A must-have for middle school libraries everywhere. --Kids Lit for Slob Dashes of Dahl, snippets of Snicket, and heaps of Horvath humor abound, and like its prequel, this can be read on many levels . . . Sparkling writing, madcap characters, and serious themes contribute to a read-aloud that adults will enjoy as much as the children. --Booklist for Olivia Kidney Stops for No One

<p> Fans of the classic [ The Secret Garden ] will delight in the similarities and differences. -- School Library Journal <p> Ms. Potter revives the story [of The Secret Garden ] with such grace and sensitivity. -- The Wall Street Journal <p> Potter excels in creating quirky yet sympathetic characters with richly allusive connections to classic children's literature. -- BCCB <p>* Inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, this noteworthy novel stands wholly on its own, as Potter, with classic and contemporary storytelling flair, deftly interweaves fantasy, mystery, suspense, and realism. Beautifully wrought, eloquent prose combines with vivid setting details and diversely-drawn characters to affectingly portray themes of loneliness and grief. Roo is a memorable character--her experiences prove transformative in unexpected ways and, ultimately, her complexities and growth ring true. Poignant without sentimentality, this is a compelling read that is certain to resonate--and linger--with young readers. --Booklist, starred review <p> Potter intentionally evokes the [ Secret Garden ], capturing its bittersweet emotions and fey qualities. But it is not a clone in modern dress. The author has created a fresh tale with a strong-willed heroine. . . . An homage to a cherished classic that can work as a companion piece or stand alone as a solid, modern tale for young readers in the 21st century. -- Kirkus Reviews <p>* Potter lavishes attention on the gothic island setting and Roo's uncle's estate; it's a thrilling ghost story, but one that, like the story it's drawn from, has love and rebirth at its heart. -- Publisher's Weekly, starred review <p> <p>Praise for THE KNEEBONE BOY: <br>* The story is fresh, funny and surprising. A quirky charmer. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review <br> With a dark, witty absurdity suggestive of Lemony Snicket, Potter draws readers into this compelling mystery-adventure about a missing mother. . . . Oft

Author Information

Ellen Potter is the author of The Kneebone Boy, published by Feiwel and Friends, and praised as a quirky charmer by Kirkus Reviews in a starred review. Her other novels include Slob, a Junior Library Guild selection, and the bestselling Olivia Kidney series. She lives in Upstate New York.

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