Pearly Everlasting

A spirited teenage girl sets off through the woods of 1934 New Brunswick, Canada, to rescue the bear she considers her brother in this enchanting U.S. debut from Canadian poet Armstrong (Take Us Quietly). Pearly Everlasting Hazen has been raised since birth by her father, a cook for a lumber camp, alongside an orphaned bear cub named Bruno. Growing up, Pearly listens to her father’s tales of a mythical, devil-like creature named Old Jack, whom he believes Pearly will one day meet face-to-face. Life passes smoothly for Pearly and Bruno until she’s 15, when a new camp boss arrives and begins working the men at a breakneck pace. When the boss is found dead with his face gouged, suspicion falls on Bruno, and the boss’s nephew sells the bear to an animal trader. Terrified for Bruno’s welfare, Pearly treks through the icy Canadian wilderness to rescue him. After she reclaims Bruno from the trader, the pair meet a series of challenges as they attempt to return home. Along the way, Pearly worries they’ll meet Old Jack. The adventure brims with folklore and superstition, as Pearly musters the courage to overcome her fears, and there are many lighthearted moments, such as when Pearly convinces Bruno to climb into the backseat of a car. This gentle story is sure to win Armstrong new fans. (Oct.)