First published 1992
The Marvell family departs for vacation, expecting their hired hand August to tend the farm and animals in their absence. When August fails to appear, the abandoned property faces an uncertain fate. That evening, neighbors notice a strange luminescence emanating from the Marvell land. August finally arrives to investigate the mysterious light and discovers something extraordinary. The farm operates under new management: the twelve zodiac signs have descended to earth and taken charge of the livestock and property. These celestial caretakers bring their own methods to agricultural work. Maxwell weaves together fantastical elements with everyday rural life, creating a story that appeals to readers across generations. The tale explores what happens when the ordinary world intersects with cosmic forces, transforming a simple premise about farm care into something magical yet grounded in recognizable human concerns.
Genres: fiction, 20th-century, fantasy, magical-realism
Vibes: emotional, intimate, whimsical
Tropes: found-family, ordinary-world-intersects-with-cosmic-forces
Setting: Marvell Land
Period: Vacation
58 pages · Hardcover · Parabola Books