The Land of Roar

May 25, 2020
Once upon a time when twins Arthur and Rose were younger, they created a make-believe world called Roar, which they accessed through a folded cot in their grandfather’s attic, and where they enjoyed adventures alongside imaginary friends such as Mitch (a mermaid-witch) and Wininja (a wizard-ninja). Then they got older. But when the twins, now 11, help their grandfather clean out his attic to make way for a “proper den,” they find a map that brings back memories. And when an old imaginary foe, a wicked winged scarecrow called Crowky, kidnaps Grandad, the siblings must travel to a far more alarming Roar than they remember, reunite with childhood companions, and stop Crowky from transforming Grandad into a stuffed scarecrow and conquering all of Roar. If, that is, Arthur can convince his sister that she’s not too cool for fantasy games. McLachlan (Truly Wildly Deeply) infuses a traditional portal fantasy with a whimsical logic—the twins’ power of belief influences Roar’s landscape, and their mundane possessions (a fidget spinner, for example) become talismans to its inhabitants—while deftly portraying two modern siblings working to mend their strained friendship. Occasional illustrations by Mantle capture the story’s fantastical feel. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Julia Churchill, A.M. Heath.