Praise for Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow:


A New York Times Bestseller
An IndieBook Bestseller
#1 Kids' Indie Next Pick
Waterstones Children's Book Prize in Young Fiction Winner
Winner of the 2018 Australian Indie Book Award for Overall Book of the Year
Winner of the 2018 Australian Indie Book Award for Children's Book of the Year
Winner of the 2017 Aurealis Award for Best Children's Fiction
#1 Amazon Best Children's Book of the Year
Publishers Weekly Fall Flying Start Pick
TIME Magazine Top YA and Children's Books of the Year Pick
The Chicago Tribune Best Children's Books of the Year Pick
PDX Parent Best Books of the Year Pick
A Mighty Girl Book of the Year Pick
B&N Kids Blog Best Books of the Year Pick
Brightly Best Children's Books of the Year, According to Kids Pick
Iowa Public Radio Best Children's Books to Give Pick
South Coast Today Gift to Wrap Up for the Teen Readers in Your Life Pick

"Poignant.... A Harry Potter-esque adventure."—Time Magazine

"Imaginative."—The Washington Post

"Jessica Townsend's Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow is more than just a spectacular debut. Exciting, charming, and wonderfully imagined, it's the sort of delightful, grand adventure destined to be many a reader's favorite book."—Trenton Lee Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of The Mysterious Benedict Society series and The Secret Keepers

* "[A] spellbinding debut...Morrigan is a captivating heroine, filled with moxie and wit.... Whimsical worldbuilding, humorous dialogue, and colorful supporting characters compliment an adventurous, magic-filled plot that champions bravery, self-confidence, and hope."—Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "Readers, like Morrigan herself, will feel at home in this evocative novel where magic and confidence go hand in hand. An excellent and exciting work."—School Library Journal, starred review

* "Readers will leap into this captivating world brimming with witty characters and unforgettable adventures. A perfect fit for fans of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson."—School Library Connection, starred review

"Townsend's debut novel is a tour de force of fantastical invention, revealing original conceits with each page-turn."—The Horn Book

"Townsend knows how to keep the pages turning in this fast-paced story."—Booklist

"The magical elements are well-written and clever...but the core of this novel lies in Morrigan's realization of her own value, of being a person worth attention and affection. A dark, mystical, and emotional look at a girl who has a complex relationship with magic in a sophisticated and lushly described world."—The Bulletin

"Exciting, whimsical, and colorful, this first book in a planned series will be a favorite with readers who love fantasy and adventure."—A Mighty Girl

"Whimsical and captivating....For fans of the Harry Potter and Divergent series."—South Coast Today

2017-07-02
Readers will feel as though Harry Potter is meeting Alice in Wonderland in this first of a new series.Morrigan Crow, a pale, white child, was born cursed. She's the town scapegoat, blamed for everything bad that happens in Jackalfax. All cursed children are expected to live for 12 years, and as Morrigan is about to turn 11, she has one year until she dies on Eventide, when the old Age gives way to the new. Unfortunately, experts have incorrectly predicted the length of this Age, and Morrigan will die in just a few days. With not even a year's worth of a future, things look bleak, but then the letter arrives. It's an invitation to compete for a coveted spot in the prestigious Wundrous Society. On the day she's to die, Morrigan's new patron, white, freckled, and very gingery Jupiter North, whisks her away to Nevermoor, where the competition takes place. Successful completion of the four trials of the competition will earn Morrigan lifelong Society membership, giving her what she's always wanted: to belong. If she fails she must go home, where the Hunt of Smoke and Shadow (the death of all cursed children) will kill her. Several important secondary characters have brown or dark skin, including Jupiter's nephew, Jack. The geography, politics, and magic of Morrigan's world are created with care, and Morrigan is a brave free-thinker readers will look forward to meeting again. Not genre-shattering but a solid read for genre fans. (Fantasy. 8-13)