The Curse of Eelgrass Bog

Readers will enjoy excavating layers of history in this marvelous mystery with heaps of magic and heart.

Twelve-year-old Kester "Kess" Pedrock and her older brother struggle to maintain their family's Unnatural History Museum in eerie Wick's End while their scientist parents are in Antarctica; without a steady flow of paying customers, the facility grows more decrepit daily. Determined to attract new visitors, Kess endeavors to find a rumored "undiscovered monster" on the outskirts of creepy Eelgrass Bog. Despite feeling drawn to the area, Kess is strictly forbidden from visiting by her best friend Shrunken Jim, a companionable demon's head in a jar who warns that the bog lies atop the Drowned World, an eldritch realm of megafauna, "half-rotten" creatures, and ghastly witches who have succumbed to its dark, all-consuming magic. But after newcomer Lilou Starling--who gives Kess a "warm, sludgy feeling"--asks for Kess's help in breaking a mysterious curse, the pair quickly realize that the answers they seek lie deep within the heart of Eelgrass Bog, prompting them to venture into the Drowned World. While the engrossing mystery wraps up too early on, debut author Averling laces the overall setting with beguiling magical elements that make for an inventive adventure. Characters read as white. Ages 8-12. Agent: Kelly Sonnack, Andrea Brown Literary. (Jan.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 4-7--Twelve-year-old Kess Pedrock's older brother Oliver has given up on the upkeep of the Unnatural History Museum, but not Kess. She is determined that her parents will return from their research trip in Antarctica to a well-maintained museum. This task is proving to be nearly impossible with the museum falling apart around her, plus she hasn't discovered any new monster exhibits to lure patrons. Until she has an interesting visitor, Lilou Starling. Kess feels an instant kinship with Lilou and visits her at home where she lives with her two dads. It turns out Lilou's grandpa left her an old map of Eelgrass Bog with specific instructions: "Beware the witches. Break the curse. Save the society." Kess has been warned to stay away from the bog, but the lure of solving Lilou's mystery is too strong. Foreshadowing is strong as Kess has murky memories of her past. Delightful characters abound, such as Shrunken Jim, a talking demon's head in a pickle jar (brine included). Setting details are equally eccentric; the girls discover a strange house that appears at the mouth of the Drowned World tunnel with eight iron legs and crouching "like a mechanical spider." Readers will be anxious to follow where this mystery leads. Lilou and Kess's relationship deepens to genuinely liking one another. Characters read as white. VERDICT A fetching, heart-stopping read with quirky characters, over-the-top depictions, a sinister setting, and the deep roots of family love.--Julie Shatterly

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

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★ "Whimsically creepy, The Curse of Eelgrass Bog straddles the line between slimy and sweet, concocting a fantasy world that balances snarky demons, magical bogs, concerned witches and awe-inspiring serpents." —BookPage, starred review

"Averling's worldbuilding is deft and beguiling, and Kess' voice is a delight. Shining brightest is her endearing relationship with Shrunken Jim—an excellent supporting character for all that he's brined. A deliciously offbeat magical adventure." —Kirkus Reviews

"[An] engrossing mystery...debut author Averling laces the overall setting with beguiling magical elements that make for an inventive adventure." —PW Reviews

"The perfect combination of eccentric and eerie, this builds an immersive, thrilling setting...with a voice that is as bold as it is vulnerable, as authentic as it is sassy." —BCCB

"Deliciously creepy and full of fabulous characters and eerie wonder." —Stephanie Burgis, author of The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart and The Raven Heir

"A bewitching tale of unnatural magic, The Curse of Eelgrass Bog delights and mystifies, teeming with curses and crawlies, cobwebs and bog bones, and the butterflies-in-your-belly wonder of being seen the way you want to be seen. I'm cursed—most marvelously—to never love another book so much as I love this one." —Heather Kassner, author of The Bone Garden

"Equal parts creepy and magical, The Curse of Eelgrass Bog is a surreal blend of magic and mystery that will leave you feeling as though you've stumbled across an undiscovered world of your own. It had me from page one!" —Kalyn Josephson, acclaimed author of the Ravenfall series

"The Curse of Eelgrass Bog is filled with magic, mystery, bravery, and so much heart. I loved it!" —Lindsay Currie, author of Scritch Scratch and The Girl in White

"The Curse of Eelgrass Bog is a wonder-filled tale that's at once creepy, twisty, and incredibly full of love. This is a keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat adventure that will also open your heart. I highly recommend this fantastic tale!" —Alysa Wishingrad, author of The Verdigris Pawn