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Gr 8 Up—When the Rothgars move in next door, high schooler Tom Grendel's summer takes a turn into uncharted territory that proves often terrible, definitely weird, and occasionally wonderful beyond words. He has struggled with the death of his mother and his father's post-traumatic stress disorder for years; the appearance of the Rothgars, anti—manic pixie dream girl Willow, and ...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Sensitive every-teen Tom Grendel and his widowed father live in a Virginia retirement community--his dad, an army veteran with PTSD, needs the peace and quiet. Tom is planning on a summer spent mowing lawns and communing with his grandmotherly neighbors, but then two of his classmates and their mother move in next door. Willow Rothgar, Tom's enigmatic first kiss, is an exciting addition to the neighborhood; although Willow warns Tom she won't be his "manic pixie...Log In or Sign Up to Read More