Ever since her dad died, eleven-year-old Jerry Blum and her mom have bounced around dead-end towns, staying in a series of rundown motels where her mother picks up housekeeping work and Jerry can get around in her wheelchair. But the Slumbering Giant motel is different. Lights blink on and off in the surrounding trees, and people disappear into the woods, never to be seen again. Not to mention that Jerry’s mom keeps vanishing to do “special work” that she refuses to discuss. When her mother doesn’t come home one morning, Jerry springs into action.
Luckily, she’s not alone. Paul, a pocket-size imaginary dragon, and Chapel, a new friend with a penchant for the supernatural, join Jerry’s search for her missing mom. But along the way, Jerry discovers her mother’s secret. She’s not a housekeeper, she’s been defending the town from demons that have been haunting it for generations. Armed with nothing but a Ren Faire sword and a backpack, Jerry and her friends venture into the forbidden woods to save Jerry’s mother. But the “demons” hiding there aren’t what they seem, and Jerry must unravel the truth behind the town’s legend or risk losing what’s left of her family.
This is the first fantasy book I’ve found where the main protagonist uses a wheelchair. I hope to see more fantasy novels featuring differently abled characters so this concept will become less of a novelty.
Jerry/Jerusha is the perfect adventure protagonist. She’s resourceful and determined, and as a wheelchair user, she’s learned how to work with what she’s got.
You might be wondering, “How is Jerry going to get around the woods in a wheelchair?” I thought this, too. Other than mud gumming up her wheels, it really wasn’t an issue.
No fantasy story is complete without a pocket-sized companion. My favorite thing about Paul, the imaginary dragon, was his Yiddish accent and his use of words like meshuggah and bubkes.
Overall, this is a fast-paced fantasy with an excellent disability representation.