Second Sleep
When Max and Rosie’s mother disappears, the family starts to unravel. Hoping a change of scene will help, their grandmother takes the children to an old family cabin in upstate New York where their mom spent her summers as child. With nothing to do but stare at the trees, wade in the creek, and conjure up his mother’s ghost, Max is miserable. How could she have loved this place so much?
That night, he and Rosie share an identical dream, the first of many. They are in an impossibly beautiful place with a sparkling lake, lush forests, and a dazzling new group of welcoming friends. As he struggles with two competing realities, neither of which could possibly be true, Max begins to wonder if his dream world, and the friends he met there, might hold the key to the mystery of his mother’s disappearance—and a way to bring her safely home.
Recognition & Awards
Booklist 2021 Editor’s Choice: Books for Youth; Bank Street Best Children’s Books of 2022; Starred review, Booklist; Starred review, Kirkus.
“This is a book for those who love adventure, mystery, and journeys to self-realization. It’s a story with depth and heart, with fully fleshed out characters and, even though the opportunity is there, a delightful lack of cynicism. At once magical and rooted in reality, an engaging story of life, love, family, and heart.”
– starred review, Kirkus
“Readers will find intriguing characters, a riveting story line, and puzzles within puzzles, including time-shift elements … a compelling novel that challenges readers and rewards them as well.
–starred review, Booklist
