2011 First Edition of The Mostly True Story of Jack by Kelly Barnhill – Hardcover with Dust Jacket

Title: The Mostly True Story of Jack
Author: Kelly Barnhill
Illustrator/Artist: Jennifer A. Bell (Dust jacket and interior spot illustrations)
Genre: Children's Fantasy / Mystery / Magical Realism
Edition: True First Edition, First Printing (August 2011)
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company

Plunge into a delightfully unusual world of rural magic, ancient secrets, and unexpected heroism. In The Mostly True Story of Jack, Newbery Medalist Kelly Barnhill crafts a luminous, fast-paced Midwestern mystery that crackles with dry wit and sharp-edged charm. The narrative follows Jack, an ordinary boy who has spent his entire life blending so perfectly into the background that people often forget he is even in the room. When his parents split up, he is shipped away from his San Francisco home to stay with his eccentric aunt and uncle in the small, isolated farming community of Hazelwood, Iowa. Expecting a boring summer, Jack is shocked to discover that the moment his feet touch Hazelwood soil, the environment transforms him, making him noticeable, vibrant, and strangely central to the town's hidden forces.

Hazelwood is far from a normal town; it is a place where the dirt seems to breathe, prehistoric shadows stretch across fields, and an ancient magic hums beneath the cornstalks. Jack is immediately thrust into the center of a decades-old mystery involving his new neighbors: twelve-year-old twins Wendy and Frankie. Four years earlier, Frankie was mysteriously snatched away into the woods, only to be returned two months later marked, altered, and completely silent. As Jack unearths buried family history and confronts the malevolent entities controlling the town's foliage, he realizes that his arrival was no accident. He must harness a wild, unpredictable power to protect his new friends and break a curse that threatens to swallow the entire valley.

Masterfully blending a whimsical narrative voice reminiscent of Lemony Snicket with a rich undercurrent of folklore, this hardcover first printing serves as an excellent read-aloud volume for families. Barnhill masterfully balances spine-tingling suspense with heartwarming themes of belonging and true friendship.

Author Kelly Barnhill: An acclaimed Newbery Medal-winning American author of fantasy novels, short stories, and essays tailored for young readers. Raised in the American Midwest, her deep affinity for the rolling landscapes and shifting seasons of the region heavily influences the rich atmospheres of her fiction. She achieved literary success with her enchanting middle-grade masterpiece, The Girl Who Drank the Moon, which won the 2017 John Newbery Medal. Her other works include The Witch's Boy, Iron Hearted Violet, and the speculative adult novella When Women Were Dragons. Known for her poetic prose, moral complexity, and imaginative world-building, Barnhill has also been a recipient of fellowships from the Jerome Foundation and the Minnesota State Arts Board. She currently lives, writes, and teaches in Minneapolis.

Illustrator/Artist Jennifer A. Bell: An accomplished American illustrator whose warm, whimsical artwork brings a sense of wonder to children's books, magazines, and greeting cards. Originally starting her artistic journey designing products for a major giftware company, she transitioned into full-time publishing illustration. She works from her studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

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Condition: Fine/near fine. The dust jacket has a slight bump on the front corner.