Lost in the Never Woods

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A skilled deep dive into trauma and responses to trauma, Lost in the Never Woods is a Peter Pan retelling set in Astoria. Wendy's brothers have been missing for years and suddenly other children in town start to disappear. The suspense never lets up in this tightly paced and riveting tale. Recommended By Mary Jo S., Powells.com

Following their powerhouse debut Cemetery Boys, Portland author Aidan Thomas turns their focus to the shadows of Neverland. Five years ago, Wendy and her brothers went missing in the woods of their hometown, Astoria. Only Wendy returned — with no memory of what happened during her months-long absence. Now, children are going missing again, and only Wendy’s lost memories — and the magical boy she could never quite forget — can save them. This reimagining isn’t afraid to lean into the eeriness of the Peter Pan mythos, but also celebrates the uplifting hope at its center, something many grimdark adaptations lose sight of. Recommended By Madeline S., Powells.com

When children start to go missing in the local woods, a teen girl must face her fears and a past she can't remember to rescue them in this atmospheric YA novel from the author of Cemetery Boys.

It's been five years since Wendy and her two brothers went missing in the woods, but when the town's children start to disappear, the questions surrounding her brothers' mysterious circumstances are brought back into the light. Attempting to flee her past, Wendy almost runs over an unconscious boy lying in the middle of the road...

Peter, a boy she thought lived only in her stories, asks for Wendy's help to rescue the missing kids. But, in order to find them, Wendy must confront what's waiting for her in the woods.

"A poignant novel about resilience, the magic of childhood, and the impossible choices that survivors often have to make in order to move forward, this will haunt readers long after they put it down — but will also leave them looking up at the stars." Booklist, starred review

"Absolutely delightful! Lost in the Never Woods is chock-full of suspense, excitement, and nostalgia. Peter Pan is as thrilling and seductive as ever, and Thomas' heartfelt tale feels as ageless as the legend himself." Romina Garber, New York Times-bestselling author of Zodiac

"Thomas's immersive prose and nuanced, trauma-informed perspective add real depth to Barrie's classic characters. Readers of Seanan McGuire's Wayward Children series and Laura E. Weymouth will settle into this emotionally generous update." Publishers Weekly

Aiden Thomas, author of Cemetery Boys, received their MFA in Creative Writing from Mills College. Born in Oakland, California, Aiden often haunted Mountain View Cemetery like a second home during their misspent youth. As a queer, trans Latinx, Aiden advocates strongly for diverse representation in all media. Aiden is notorious among their friends for always being surprised by twist endings to books/movies and organizing their bookshelves by color. When not writing, Aiden enjoys exploring the outdoors with their dog, Ronan. Their cat, Figaro, prefers to support their indoor hobbies, like reading and drinking too much coffee.

A common question I got asked when I entered publishing was, “When was the first time you saw yourself in a book?” There was always a moment of panic where I’d race to think of a book that had one aspect of my identity that I could use as an answer...

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