Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

A charming middle-grade novel about friendship and the power of imagination, told in alternating chapters by Rebecca Stead, the Newbery Medal winning author of When You Reach Me, and Wendy Mass, New York Times bestselling author of The Candymakers

Livy can't remember her first visit to her grandmother's house in Australia, but she does seem to recall a 'wrong chicken' and bumping down the stairs.

She definitely doesn't remember the strange little creature she finds in the wardrobe. His name is Bob and he doesn't know what he's doing there, but he's been waiting for Livy to come back for more than five years. That's a very long time to sit in the dark.

Clue by clue, Livy and Bob unravel the mystery of where Bob comes from and what Livy has forgotten in this magical story about friendship and loyalty and the power of imagination.

And standing on top of the dictionary is a small zombie wearing a chicken suit. He's rubbing his eyes, a Lego pirate clutched in one green hand. When his eyes adjust to the light, he uses them to look me up and down. Then he says, 'You're back. Took you long enough.'

Wendy Mass is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-two novels for young readers including The Candymakers. Wendy lives in New Jersey.

Rebecca Stead is the author of four books for children including the Newbery Award winner When You Reach Me. Rebecca lives in New York.

'Realistic and compassionate...This is a layered, textured read, and adds to Rebecca Stead's growing list of consistently high quality novels. Highly recommended.' Reading Time

'Irresistible tale of magic, mystery, and friendship that poses timeless questions about identity and belonging.' Publishers Weekly, starred review

'Stead, whose When You Reach Me (2009) won the Newbery Medal, and Mass, author of the beloved Willow Falls series, combine their considerable talents to create an unusual fantasy with simplicity, immediacy, and wit.' Booklist

'You can't help falling in love with Bob just a little.' Good Reading

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Levels

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      Starred review from March 5, 2018
      Ten-year-old Livy, who lives in Massachusetts, hasn’t visited her Gran Nicholas’s house in Australia for five years. When she returns for a visit, Livy is struck by the feeling that something very important is waiting for her. Sure enough, a peek inside her closet reveals “a small zombie wearing a chicken suit,” perched atop a dictionary. “You’re back. Took you long enough,” the creature says to the girl. Once upon a time, it seems, five-year-old Livy discovered this strange being, who goes by the comically understated name of Bob, and the two formed a secret bond. Picking up where they left off, Livy keeps Bob hidden while they hunt for clues about what he is, where he came from, and how to get him home. Authors Mass (the Willow Falls series) and Stead (Goodbye Stranger) team up for this irresistible tale of magic, mystery, and friendship that poses timeless questions about identity and belonging. Ultimately, the answers Livy and Bob seek are waiting in the pages of a cherished book—a tribute to the power of storytelling, which draws readers into the imaginative investigation. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Authors’ agents: (for Stead) Faye Bender, the Book Group; (for Mass) Ginger Knowlton, Curtis Brown Ltd. Illustrator’s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • Lexile® Measure:590
  • Text Difficulty:2-3

Loading