The World from Up Here

Sixth-grader Wren worries about everything from riding horses to the witch who supposedly haunts nearby Creeper Mountain. Wren is forced to confront her fears when her mother is hospitalized after an emotional breakdown. Wren’s father travels to Akron, Ohio, with his wife, leaving Wren and her younger brother, Russell, who has Asperger’s syndrome, to stay with their aunt and cousin, Silver, who have just moved to town. Popular, fearless Silver is in Wren’s class, and Wren thinks they are polar opposites. But living with Silver, beginning to understand her own mother’s struggles, and facing her fears help Wren realize that people aren’t always what they seem and that she’s stronger than she knew. Galante (The Summer of May) creates a realistically complex character in Wren, sensitively portraying her anxieties and her realizations about how she holds herself back. The role of Witch Weatherly in Wren’s history, as well as her growing relationship with Silver, further flesh out a warmhearted story celebrating family and friendship. Ages 8–12. Agent: Stacey Glick, Dystel & Goderich Literary Management. (June)