In Lev Rose's engaging illustrated middle-grade novel, Woundabout, orphaned siblings process their grief by solving the hidden mystery of their new hometown.
Connor and Cordelia King, ages 11 and nine, are orphaned when an accident kills their parents. Along with Kit, their pet capybara ("like very large guinea pigs with only slightly better table manners"), they're placed under the guardianship of their nearest relative, the distant and mysterious Aunt Marigold. They quickly befriend her butler, Gray, and begin to explore the staid town of Woundabout, where no one varies their routine and questions are discouraged. "We all decided a long time ago that change is something to be avoided. It usually brings pain." While adjusting to their new home, they discover Aunt Marigold is not distant, as they had believed, but instead emotionally paralyzed by her own loss. As they bond, they begin to heal and process their grief together. But Connor and Cordelia are curious children, and soon discover that there's a mystery beneath Woundabout, concealed by the town's mayor--he's lost a secret artifact that helps him control the town and avoid change. Solving the mystery at the heart of Woundabout may prove to be the cathartic push toward a new normal that the whole family needs.
Siblings Lev and Ellis Rosen collaborate on an imaginative tale with abundant illustrations throughout, including several full-page pieces. The story features the perspectives of both Conner and Cordelia, making it accessible to girls and boys alike. A thoughtful novel about the process of moving on after tragedy. --Jessica Bushore, former public librarian and freelance writer