The Whispering Fog

by Landra Jennings

Overview

In this spooky and atmospheric debut contemporary fantasy, Snow White and Rose Red meets the modern world after sisters Neve and Rose’s lives are upended when a swamp witch kidnaps Rose. Perfect for fans of Jodi Lynn Anderson and Katherine Arden.

For twelve-year-old Neve, it’s always been she and her older sister against the world, their lives entwined just like sisters in a fairy tale. So, if Rose loves tennis, Neve will play it too—even if secretly she’d rather be home turning cardboard boxes into offbeat art projects. Not even being moved to the piney woods outside Etters, South Carolina, can change what they are to each other—until a mysterious fog seems to swallow up Rose before Neve’s eyes.

Naturally, the adults don’t believe that something supernatural is at play. So, with the help of Piper, a classmate with a tomato fixation; Sammy, a boy with memories of an otherworldly stranger; and a stray dog that seems to belong to the woods, Neve discovers that her sister has been taken by a swamp-dwelling witch with a terribly wicked plan. It will be up to Neve to save her sister. Otherwise, she’ll be separated from Rose . . . forever

A gorgeous, haunting debut about sisterhood and finding your voice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063308756
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	09/05/2023
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	116,429
Product dimensions:	5.10(w) x 7.50(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Landra Jennings is the author of the middle grade novel, The Whispering Fog. She received her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. Today, she lives with her family in Greenville, South Carolina, though she grew up roaming the woods of Georgia. If she had discovered a magical pond back then, she definitely would have jumped in. Visit her online at www.landrajennings.com. 

Editorial Reviews

"With a dose of creepiness and a dash of delight, Landra Jennings brews a bewitching tale of sisterly love, finding your voice, and the value of a good tomato. I love this book."   — Anne Ursu, author of The Troubled Girls of Dragomir Academy

"The Whispering Fog is a dark and twisty retelling of Snow White and Rose Red, with a delicious page-turner of an ending. But underneath the magic, it's a refreshingly honest story about imperfect families, about how sometimes we care best for others by being real with ourselves. I loved it." — Laurel Snyder, author of Orphan Island and My Jasper June

"This riveting retelling of Snow White and Rose Red is eerie and atmospheric, grounded in an extraordinary sibling connection that is given room to shift and evolve . . . a splendidly suspenseful and sinister read with a tender heart." — Booklist

"A swamp full of secrets and a quirky cast of characters combine for a delightfully dark debut." — Kirkus Reviews

"Jennings threads the fantasy and horror elements with the book’s realism with a goosebump-inducing precision while infusing the story with small details that leap off the page. . . Hand this to fans of Doll Bones (BCCB 06/13) and middle graders looking for a spooky blend of horror and folklore."   — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

From the Publisher

08/15/2022

In an atmospheric mystery incorporating mystical elements, a take on “Snow-White and Rose-Red” by the Brothers Grimm, debut author Jennings tells the tale of middle schooler siblings Neve and Rose, who move to Etters, S.C., with their mother following their parents’ separation. After being as “close as the sisters in the fairy tale,” the girls—only 11 months apart—begin forming their own identities in their new town; Neve, in particular, starts stepping out of her older sister’s shadow, “being assertive and making decisions.” But while Etters provides the sisters with opportunities to grow, it’s also home to haunting secrets. They soon learn about local girls’ unexplained disappearances, which some townsfolk have inexplicably forgotten, and frightening rumors about the swamp not too far from their house. When a mysterious fog rolls in and swallows Rose up, Neve—joined by an ethereal boy in a red shirt, a hound, and a worn book of fairy tales—searches for her missing sister. Though the overarching mystery’s plotting feels disjointed, Neve’s growth from reserved introvert to take-charge heroine capably propels the narrative toward a climactic resolution. Ages 8–12. Agent: Josh Adams, Adams Literary. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"With a dose of creepiness and a dash of delight, Landra Jennings brews a bewitching tale of sisterly love, finding your voice, and the value of a good tomato. I love this book."  

Anne Ursu

"The Whispering Fog is a dark and twisty retelling of Snow White and Rose Red, with a delicious page-turner of an ending. But underneath the magic, it's a refreshingly honest story about imperfect families, about how sometimes we care best for others by being real with ourselves. I loved it."

Laurel Snyder

2022-06-22
When Neve’s older sister, Rose, is kidnapped by a swamp witch, she must learn to listen to her own instincts or risk losing her sister forever.

Though they aren’t twins—Rose is 11 months older—seventh grade sisters Rose and Neve are rarely apart. Headstrong, outgoing Rose has always been in charge of everything, which has been fine with creative, introverted Neve. Soon after their parents separate and the girls move with their mom to a creepy old house in Etters, South Carolina, a strange fog emerges from the woods and disappears with Rose, leaving Neve to figure out what happened and how to save her sister. Most of the adults around her are emotionally absent and, frankly, rather useless. Although there are a few loose ends and unanswered questions, this goosebump-inducing, Brothers Grimm–inspired contemporary fairy tale deftly illustrates how a younger sibling begins to outgrow both an older one’s shadow and the expectations of their parents as she pursues her own sense of self and takes the initiative in a daring rescue mission. Main characters read as White; alluding to the source material, “Snow-White and Rose-Red,” one sister has white-blond hair and the other’s is auburn. Names and physical descriptions cue some diversity in the supporting cast.

A swamp full of secrets and a quirky cast of characters combine for a delightfully dark debut. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews