Title: Sprout
Author: Taylor Tyng
Genre: magical realism
Age range: middle grade
Similar book: Bloom by Nicola Skinner
Summary (provided by publisher): Sprout has gotten used to hiding. Having antlers growing out of your head will do that. But when she learns that another girl with wild antlers has been spotted, Sprout is determined to see if there is someone else out there who understands the strangeness she feels.
Soon she attracts the attention of E.B., a fellow oddball, who remembers everything he has ever seen, read, or heard. And he's not the only one fascinated by Sprout. A curious doctor and a set of terrifying twins are tracking Sprout's every move. But nothing could have prepared Sprout for the dark secrets that have taken root in her town. Digging up the truth might help Sprout understand her past--or it might spell the end of her town forever.
What I liked: Sprout centers on a pair of compelling characters. They are defined as people beyond the thing that makes them peculiar. While the plot is certainly odd, the characters keep us grounded.
What I didn't like: I can roll with some odd plot decisions. I'm cool with plots about kids with inexplicable antlers. But the explanation this book gives for Sprout's condition is a stretch. It attempts to explore some larger societal issues but doesn't really go deep enough. With a plot that feels like it wraps up too quickly, it doesn't quite make it onto my top tier of book choices.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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