Synopsis:
Something is wrong with Liam. He collapses during soccer practice, he can’t stay awake in class, and he’s starting to see a ghostly white fox that disappears into smoke. His parents and teachers accuse him of being lazy and staying up too late, but he knows it’s something worse.
No one believes him except for Alaina, a friend and self-proclaimed expert in fantasy and fairy tales. She’s seen this sort of thing before and believes Liam has been cursed with a powerful sleeping spell. Her journal is full of possible ways to break a curse. Liam is skeptical, but with his normal life slipping further away, he agrees to try her potential cures.
As they search for answers in stories, Alaina shares that she also is dealing with something no one else can see: type 1 diabetes. It rears its head like an invisible dragon, and she carries her medical equipment as a knight’s lance and dragon-scale shield to battle it.
As Liam’s mystery illness worsens, he will need Alaina’s friendship—and perhaps a bit of fairy magic—to find a way to understand the truth of what is happening and regain the pieces of himself that are lost.
What To Expect:
Readers can expect a middle grade book about two friends that discover the truth in fairytales, explore their world from a new perspective and help make sense of hard things through their friendship and imagination! Ages: 8-12 years.
Content Warnings:
Language: Mild – Dang it, heck, crap, stupid jerks
Sexual Content: None
Violence: None
Substance Use: None
Prejudices: Mild – Bullying because of diabetes and other autoimmune diseases
Religious Themes: One brief comment about being “mad at God” after a health diagnosis & a beautiful reflection of God’s sovereignty during crisis in a quote in the authors note. Mythology and magic.
Other Topics: Chronic Health: narcolepsy and hypnagogic hallucinations (vivid nightmares), cataplexy, diabetes type 1 (on page diabetic episode), grief cycles conversations, depression and anxiety discussed. Halloween dress up, scary ghost stories, near miss drowning.
Please keep in mind that some things may be missed in content warning reviews and this is meant to be a general overview without spoilers. Use your own discretion with the information provided to make the right choice for you! View our guideline here.
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