Oddity

August 1, 2017

Gr 4-7-Growing up beset by zombie rabbits, assorted aliens, creepy puppets, unsafe safety drills, and all kinds of unusual threats in the isolated town of Oddity, NM, is not for the faint of heart. But this is the town "where odd is normal." After her twin sister Pearl disappears in the last annual town "sweepstakes," fifth-grader Ada Roundtree marches straight off into mischief, mayhem, and no small amount of intrigue. Together with new kid Cayden and her best friend Raymond, Ada sets out to uncover the town's mysteries and find her sister. The playful language keeps pace with the madcap zaniness of the setting ("Daddy doesn't go all the way up Havasu Hill. And when you're only halfway up, you're neither up nor down-you're at Oddity Middle School."). Crammed full of imaginative and threatening obstacles and opportunities, readers will be hooked from the first page. Despite the fantastical elements, the cast is a realistic representation of an inclusive community: the protagonist is African American, her right-hand man is Latino, and there is a bevy of empowered female characters including a formidable aunt who uses a wheelchair, lesbian parents, and Ada's mom, who deals with depression. Like Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book, Cannon's work takes a sardonic tone, blending humor, darkness, suspense, and the enduring metaphorical battle of good vs. evil. The overall picture is chillingly creepy but cut with the bright tang of capable kids taking action. VERDICT Featuring a diverse cast of characters, this fantasy is chock-full of adventure and agency, making it a must-buy and a must-read for most middle graders.-Erin Reilly-Sanders, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2017
Grades 3-6 This world building adventure begins in a bizarre town where the very strange is very normal. Ada's family is struggling to adjust after the disappearance of her twin sister, Pearl, who won the town's annual sweepstakes last year. Ada teams up with a new kid from the incredibly normal city of Chicago, her best friend Raymond, and occasionally her cousin Mason to figure out her sister's disappearance. Along the way, they dodge invisible monsters, pacify zombie rabbits addicted to marshmallows, and make friends with an unusual purple alien. Cannon's debut features an inclusive cast of characters, which makes the setting of Ada's town extremely vibrant and less like a murkily written checklist of diverse characteristics. While the pacing can seem a bit slow and sometimes cluttered, this oddball town is utterly endearing. A charming, enjoyable thrill ride with memorable characters, crazy creatures, and a theme about the importance of family.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)