What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World

Gr 6–8—Freak, River, and Fiona assume that the sofa sitting near their bus stop one morning is just a discarded piece of furniture from the creepy old Underhill mansion. Soon, though, they learn that it's sentient, self-propelling, and nourished by dust bunnies. The junk they find between the cushions (an old crayon, a weird coin, and a single domino) holds the key to saving the world from evil invaders from another dimension. The children are skeptical at first, but Alf, the eccentric person living in the mansion, convinces them that the couch is connected to the coal-seam fire that has been burning in their town for 12 years. He also explains that the strange flash mobs that almost everyone seems to be participating in-a roomful of people stand up and sing show tunes in unison, then go about business as usual and deny that anything strange has happened-are, in fact, experiments in a sinister mind-control plot. Fast paced and entertaining, this sci-fi novel strains credulity but is still an exciting, suspenseful adventure with many unexpected twists. Commentary on both corporate interests and middle-school social dynamics adds depth without seeming heavy-handed. This debut novel may be a hard sell to reluctant readers, but those willing to take a chance on something odd will be rewarded.—Kyle Lukoff, Corlears School, New York City