First published 2003
Nora Sweetkale feels her life is about to shift when a blank book arrives in her mail. She meets Billy, a boy who creates windows into other worlds. Through one window they see Sanasaera, an island where cats grow as large as ponies and people pull ears to clear their thoughts. The map to this world moves like a living thing. It darkens without warning. Wind rushes from Billy's window, carrying sand and a rotten smell. The map trembles and draws breath. Something evil hides beneath Sanasaera's beauty. When Nora vanishes into that world, Billy must face the darkness that spills into his own reality. He cannot fight it alone. He needs Nora back before the evil spreads too far to stop.
Genres: adventure, fantasy, magical-realism, young-adult
Vibes: atmospheric, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, portal-fantasy
Setting: Sanasaera
256 pages · Hardcover · Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)