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The Umbrella Maker's Son
Description
In this funny and fantastical middle grade novel, one boy must uncover the secret behind his rainy town in order to save himself from a future in his father’s footsteps.
Oscar Buckle lives in a city where it’s always raining. And when it isn’t raining, it’s about to rain, so the townspeople have learned to embrace it. Oscar’s father is an umbrella maker—appropriate for a place where you can’t leave home without one!—but while Buckle Umbrellas are strong, reliable, and high quality, they’re expensive. Because of this, people are buying from the competitor instead, which is threatening Oscar’s family’s business.
To make ends meet, Oscar is forced to quit school and work in his father's shop as an apprentice. But when extraordinary events start to occur in their rainy town, Oscar becomes suspicious of their competitor. Desperate to save his town, Oscar must enlist the help of his best friend, Saige, to discover if there's more than nature involved in their city's weather.
This charming story is packed with adventure, lively illustrations, and unforgettable characters determined to survive in a world where the weather is a mysterious, magical force.
Oscar Buckle lives in a city where it’s always raining. And when it isn’t raining, it’s about to rain, so the townspeople have learned to embrace it. Oscar’s father is an umbrella maker—appropriate for a place where you can’t leave home without one!—but while Buckle Umbrellas are strong, reliable, and high quality, they’re expensive. Because of this, people are buying from the competitor instead, which is threatening Oscar’s family’s business.
To make ends meet, Oscar is forced to quit school and work in his father's shop as an apprentice. But when extraordinary events start to occur in their rainy town, Oscar becomes suspicious of their competitor. Desperate to save his town, Oscar must enlist the help of his best friend, Saige, to discover if there's more than nature involved in their city's weather.
This charming story is packed with adventure, lively illustrations, and unforgettable characters determined to survive in a world where the weather is a mysterious, magical force.
Praise
A Junior Library Guild Selection
“The Umbrella Maker’s Son has everything you want in a story: intrigue, friendship, and brilliant world-building. You’ll never think about rain the same way again! An exceptional middle-grade debut.” —Carlie Sorosiak, author of Always, Clementine
“The Umbrella Maker’s Son has everything you want in a story: intrigue, friendship, and brilliant world-building. You’ll never think about rain the same way again! An exceptional middle-grade debut.” —Carlie Sorosiak, author of Always, Clementine
*“An engagingly rich setting … and an excitingly dangerous mission with opportunities aplenty for [the] two intrepid protagonists to show their heart, mutual loyalty, and courage."
—Booklist, starred review
“A quirky middle grade fantasy…Readers looking for an introspective, weather-driven fantasy focused on friendship, family, and community will enjoy this thoughtful story of young people fighting greed.”
—SLJ
“A fast-paced, heartwarming read.”
—Kirkus
“This amiable fantasy by Leno is at its strongest when focusing on Oscar and Saige’s unshakable friendship and Saige’s inventiveness.”
—Publishers Weekly
