Floating Boy and the Girl Who Couldn't Fly

Gr 7–10—Mary, about to enter high school, was not expecting a cute boy to drift into her life at her little cousin's birthday party. Or to float right out of it again. But, right before her eyes, the boy floats off into the sky. While other partygoers conjure excuses for what they witnessed, Mary believes in the phenomenon. Then her little brother, Terry, starts floating too. Desperate to save Terry, Mary searches for Floating Boy to learn about what is causing the strange occurrence. Soon, her friends, and other children in town, are floating as well, but Mary remains grounded. When Terry is kidnapped by Mr. Barron, the sinister guardian of Floating Boy, the protagonist embarks on a mission to rescue her little brother, and everyone else in town, from this mad scientist. But will saving Terry result in Mary losing the boy who has sent her heart soaring? This captivating, multilayered story immediately engages readers with Mary's snarky, spunky narration. But hovering beneath the mystery of Floating Boy is the specter of Mary's mental issues: anxiety attacks caused her to miss the end of the school year. Mary lives in fear of her doctor putting her on "zombie pills" that will leave her lethargic and lifeless. Her best friend, Liv, is on suicide watch, constantly shadowing Mary to keep her from harming herself. Can Mary save the town, and herself, before it's too late? An unusual book that will enthrall young teens.—Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor School District, Lancaster, PA