Indies Introduce

Middle Grade

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  Into the Tall, Tall Grass, Loriel Ryon
  Margaret K. McElderry Books, 9781534449671, April 7, 2020 (Middle Grade)
  

  “This is a rare coming-of-age, magical realism, coming-out, scientific quest, sister-struggle, animal-loving, letting-go, best-friend tension-filled, epic family drama that is perfect for tweens. It hits all the right notes in a story that is hard to put down and even harder to forget. Open yourself up to its magic.”

  Tegan Tigani, Queen Anne Book Company (Seattle, WA)
  
  

  “A magical love letter to sisters, grandparents, the family who loves you even when they’re away, and the family you choose for yourself, Into the Tall, Tall Grass is unlike any middle grade book I’ve read. Yolanda comes from a long line of gifted individuals. How else to explain her grandmother’s control of butterflies, or the bees that swarm around her twin, Sonja? Surely not “bruja,” the word whispered meanly by their neighbors. Yolanda has no gift, and her worry that she’ll be left behind resonates on many levels. When her grandmother, whose health is failing, asks a favor, Yolanda gathers Sonja and their best friends, the Patels, and what should be a simple walk across their backyard turns into a quest through a changeable, mysterious landscape. A coming-of-age story like no other. “

  Bethany Strout, Tattered Cover Bookstore (Denver, CO)
  

   

  “Yolanda's beloved grandmother is dying and social services is knocking on her door. She doesn't exhibit any of the wondrous skills that the other women of her family have, but she's determined to help her dying grandmother fulfill her last wish: a trip to the mysterious pecan tree on their property. Along the way, she discovers family stories and secrets she never knew and the importance of dealing with both life and death. Into the Tall, Tall Grass is a magical story with family secrets, a charming cast of characters, and emotional life lessons.”

  -Jackie Jou, Mysterious Galaxy Books (San Diego, CA)

   

  "A touching and sad story with a great take on magical realism—a tradition of Latin literature. Yolanda and her friends are unique characters from each other and give any reader a character they can relate to. It's got it all, queer characters, STEM, magic, frenemies, legends, and mysteries."

  Riley Davis, Next Chapter Booksellers (St. Paul, MN)