Synopses & Reviews
How can you tell if a river's under a spell? River trolls, rock trolls, blue-wing fairies the usual suspects the stretch of the Mississippi where Claire lives has rumors of them all, not that she's ever spotted any. But then Claire's cousin Duke takes a swim and sprouts a horn a long, pointy, handsome thing. After that, Claire doesn't have much choice but to believe that something rivery is going on, especially since she's the only one who can help Duke lose his new addition.
In the tradition of grand river adventures, Joseph Helgerson's tale is as twisty and unpredictable as the Mississippi River itself, while an unusual cast of characters adds pepper to the pot. Readers of all ages will enjoy getting in and out of trouble with Claire and Duke in this nimble, sharp, and funny fantasy.
Review
"Tongue-in-cheek humor brings a delightful zing to the playfully inventive storytelling and fast-paced plot. Enchanting sketches foreshadow each chapter, adding to the wonder. A new Mississippi River fable has been born." School Library Journal (Starred Review)
Review
"Helgerson's debut is a confusing, nonsensical mish-mash. The character quirks are forced, the narration is overly chatty and much of the humor is lame....There's plenty of imagination here, but little logic or thought." Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
How can you tell if a riverand#8217;s under a spell? River trolls, rock trolls, blue-wing fairiesand#151;the usual suspects. The stretch of the Mississippi where Claire lives has rumors of them all, not that sheand#8217;s ever spotted any. But then Claireand#8217;s cousin Duke takes a swim and sprouts a hornand#151;a long, pointy, handsome thing. After that, Claire doesnand#8217;t have much choice but to believe that something rivery is going on, especially since sheand#8217;s the only one who can help Duke lose his new addition.
About the Author
Joseph Helgerson lives in Minneapolis with his wife, daughter, and son. He grew up in a small town on the Mississippi River, where his parents often took him and his brothers sandbar camping. Today he carries on that tradition with his own family.
Nicoletta Ceccoli is the illustrator of many wonderful books for children. She studied at the Institute of Art in Urbino and now lives in San Marino, Italy, near the sea.