Synopses & Reviews
One night out of the blue, Ratchet Clarks ill-natured mother uproots her from Florida without a second thought. Ratchet is on a train to Maine for a summer with relatives within the blink of an eye. But these arent just any relatives. Ratchets ninety-two-year old great-aunts, twins Penpen and Tilly, live life in their secluded home on their own terms. They were born together, they grew up together, they live together, and they plan to die together. Through thick wilderness, down forgotten, bear-ridden roads, a plethora of strange family history, and a slew of unwelcome guests, Ratchet may just learn what a family can be after all. Unwelcome guests might just bring the greatest gifts of all.
By turns dark and humorous, Polly Horvath offers readers enough quirky characters and outrageous situations to leave them reeling!
Review
* “Horvath tops even Everything on a Waffle with this hilarious, heartrending tale of two unwanted children left with a pair of eccentric old ladies. . . . Once again Horvath displays a genius for creating multigenerational, interestingly extended families, and for blending high and low comedy into a tale rife with important themes and life-changing events.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
* “Readers are in for a wise and wacky ride.” —School Library Journal, starred review
* “Unruly, unpredictable and utterly compelling. . . . Readers may find themselves wondering just how far Horvath will go with her uncensored, Mad Hatter humor—and they wont be disappointed with her steering.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Alternately dark and humorous, Polly Horvaths imagination is always a treat.” —The Chicago Tribune
National Book Award Winner
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
Fanfare, The Horn Books Honor List
A Kirkus Editors Choice
A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library
Synopsis
Thirteen-year-old Ratchet spends a summer in Maine with her eccentric great-aunts, Tilly and Penpen, hearing strange stories from the past and encountering a variety of unusual and colorful characters.
About the Author
Polly Horvath is the author of many childrens books, including Everything on a Waffle, a Newbery Honor book; The Trolls; and The Pepins and Their Problems (all available from Square Fish). She lives in Victoria, British Columbia.
pollyhorvath.com