Publishers Weekly
04/29/2024
Intergenerational grief permeates this enigmatic mystery by Reese (Every Bird a Prince) which centers a family’s attempt to repair fractured relationships. Following the death of their paternal grandfather, nonbinary 12-year-old Perigee Eklund hopes to fix the acrimonious relationship between their father and paternal grandmother by orchestrating a trip to visit her at the Eklunds’ Puzzle House, built by their grandparents. Despite simmering tensions and a powerful snowstorm, the logic-minded tween thrills in exploring the house’s myriad puzzles with fellow houseguest Lily Ishioka, an adventurous youth whose mother is working to rescue lost hikers. The house itself—which narrates in alternating chapters—is already reeling from the death of its cocreator, and becomes more desperate when Grandma Eklund announces the imminent sale of the property. After finding a forgotten riddle left by their grandfather, Perigee decides to delve deeper into the house’s mysteries, solving puzzles and using clues to get at the meaning behind the riddle’s cryptic message. Intrepid Perigee is a capable protagonist whose welcoming aura immediately endears them to the reader and Lily both. The anthropomorphic antics of the Puzzle House itself—Perigee often incurs the house’s rage, which manifests as physically violent tantrums—add tension and humor to this emotionally cathartic and puzzle-laden story of trauma and healing. The Eklunds read as white. Ages 9–12. (May)
From the Publisher
"A deliciously fun adventure full of dangerous magic, secrets, and puzzles. I loved every moment of it!" —Stephanie Burgis, author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart and The Raven Heir
"Clever, brave, and whimsically charming, this story fed my soul and opened my heart." —Deva Fagan, author of Nightingale
"There is magic at work in Puzzleheart—not only in the mansion’s constantly moving walls and twisty challenges, but also in the story’s beautifully honest exploration of a family’s hurt and healing. I loved following Perigee and Lily down every hidden passageway in this brave and clever book. " —Caroline Carlson, author of the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates series & The World’s Greatest Detective
"Filled with secret passages and labyrinths, dangerous traps, and ingenious codes galore, Jenn Reese’s Puzzleheart is a joyful thrill ride that I wished would not end! At the center of Eklund’s Puzzle House is a family of characters who are as endearing and complex as its countless puzzles and shifting hallways. Spend time with them and your own heart is sure to click open and chime with glee." —Dan Poblocki, #1 New York Times co-author of the Magic Misfits series & author of Tales to Keep You Up at Night
"Part puzzle mystery, part magical adventure, and part family story with a heart as big as a house, Puzzleheart is one of those pitch-perfect middle grade novels that’s just the right fit for lots of different kinds of readers." —LitHub
"The story balances the fun and adventure of navigating the anthropomorphic house with the seriousness of navigating fractured family relationships. Perigee makes plenty of mistakes along the way but learns from them, and their personal growth makes finishing the book as rewarding as solving the trickiest puzzle . . . Fans of escape rooms and family stories will find much to love in this heartfelt tale." —Kirkus Reviews
"Intergenerational grief permeates this enigmatic mystery by Reese (Every Bird a Prince) which centers a family’s attempt to repair fractured relationships . . . The anthropomorphic antics of the Puzzle House itself—Perigee often incurs the house’s rage, which manifests as physically violent tantrums—add tension and humor to this emotionally cathartic and puzzle-laden story of trauma and healing." —Publishers Weekly
"A quick trip to Grandma's house unfurls a heart-stopping adventure for tween Perigee and their father when they go to visit the recluse and her Puzzle House . . . Perilous, intriguing, full of great conversations about kids who shoulder the emotions of their parents, and a bit tear-jerky, too, this is an unfolding tale that invites readers out of the cold winter night and into the burning peril of a house that will do anything to keep its memories alive." —Booklist
"The complicated nature of families in comparison to the House is a captivating way to move this smooth-flowing mystery along. Hand to fans of Ellen Raskins’s The Westing Game or Chris Grabenstein’s Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library. A wily 12-year-old, painful family secrets, and an eerie possessed house—this twisty mystery is great for genre fans. " —School Library Journal
Praise for Jenn Reese:
A Game of Fox & Squirrels
A 2021 Oregon Book Award Winner
An NPR Best Book of 2020
A 2021-22 Maine Student Book Award Finalist
Evanston Public Library Best of the Year Pick
“Beautifully written...Reese’s pairing of a realistic depiction of lived trauma with its allegorical-fantasy reflection proves stunningly effective.” –Kirkus, Starred Review
"A poignant fantastical allegory... that presents generational trauma and its echoes unflinchingly." –Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Reese spins a tale about child abuse that is touched with fantasy...a powerful tool for working through trauma." –Booklist
"An engaging blend of genres...dealing with realistic issues that will be a solid addition to elementary or middle school libraries." –School Library Journal
"It’s satisfying to watch Sam move from obedience born of self-preservation to being able to defy Ashander in order to protect others...the sympathetic heroine makes this a likable read with broad appeal." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Once in an age, you read a book that is so true and so lovely that it's as if your own bruised and hopeful heart had come sailing into your hands in book form. A Game of Fox & Squirrels is that book for me. It is perfect. Sometimes magic happens: we needed this story in our world, and now it is here." —Anne Nesbet, author of The Cabinet of Earths and Daring Darleen
"Hauntingly beautiful, funny, dark and true, and so full of magic and heart. This story will stay with me forever." —Stephanie Burgis, author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart
"Jenn Reese is masterful in her delicate rendering of a vulnerable child navigating the boundaries of family loyalty. The story will quietly burrow its way into the hearts of the children who need it, inspiring bravery and truth. Unforgettable." —Tracy Holczer, author of Everything Else in the Universe
"An important, moving book about resilience in the face of abuse, and about emerging from a very dark place into hope." —Sarah Prineas, author of Dragonfell
"The way Jenn Reese illuminates a path to hope through dark times is what makes this book essential reading." —Greg van Eekhout, author of Voyage of the Dogs
“A Game of Fox & Squirrels overflows with courage, and it’s willing to share.” —William Alexander, National Book Award-winning author of Goblin Secrets
Every Bird a Prince
2023 Andre Norton Nebula Award for Middle Grade and Young Adult Fiction Nominee
"Reese's splendid story skillfully combines everyday experiences with a fantastical world, and though the talking birds and ferocious frostfangs are a surface-level treat, they're also thoughtful explorations of selfdoubt and asexuality. A powerful testament to self-knowledge and boldly living in your truth." —Booklist
"Using frostfangs as a metaphor for the debilitating effects of self-doubt, this contemporary fantasy realistically examines Eren’s confusion, fear of alienation, and suffocation as she grapples with her true sexuality. Multidimensional supporting characters with their own identity issues and vulnerabilities add veracity and depth.." —Kirkus Reviews
"Reese gives equal weight to each storyline and captures how the urgency of self-identification and fear of your own truths can pervade every moment and feel just as catastrophic as the potential end of the world. It’s a comfort that Eren and her pals save the day—perhaps even more so that they each find new truths in themselves and each other. " —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Meanwhile, a conversation with Alex’s asexual, pan-romantic sister gives Eren the framework to consider her own sexuality. Eren’s relatable effort to find her own path is sympathetically wrought, while the conflict between the birds and frostfangs provides an alternate lens for a protagonist working through layers of feelings." —Publishers Weekly
School Library Journal
05/01/2024
Gr 4–7—Twelve-year-old Perigee has a plot to restore her dad's enthusiasm for life, which includes reuniting him with his mother after many years of estrangement. Her grandparents' mansion was meant to be an Escape Room–themed bed and breakfast, but it was never completed after her grandfather's fatal car accident. Perigee meets Lily Ishioka, the daughter of a volunteer mountain rescuer and survivalist. Lily's resilience and pragmatism are a good match for Perigee's optimism and sense of adventure. The girls become embroiled in puzzles tucked into the mansion designed by Perigee's late grandfather. Meanwhile, her dad sets about correcting the House's structural damage but is waylaid by arguments with his mother. In alternating chapters, Perigee and the House narrate. Things spiral out of control as the House revolts, determined not to reveal its secrets. Windows open and shut, hallways shift, and people are injured. The girls come dangerously close to being swallowed up by the House until Perigee unearths a clue that is pivotal to freeing her family from its clutches. Perigee's friendship with Lily will ring true to young readers, as will her desire to make her dad happy again. The complicated nature of families in comparison to the House is a captivating way to move this smooth-flowing mystery along. Hand to fans of Ellen Raskins's The Westing Game or Chris Grabenstein's Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. VERDICT A wily 12-year-old, painful family secrets, and an eerie possessed house—this twisty mystery is great for genre fans.—Julie Shatterly
