Monster, Human, Other

Gr 4–6—Isaac, 11, is a "clepsit," a type of monster. His only giveaway features are his furry tail, which he tapes down, and his hair, which changes color seasonally. When Isaac goes missing, his adoptive human parents are accused of killing him. Historically, clepsits and humans despise and mistrust each other despite their need to coexist. It is up to Wren, a human girl who lives underground with a family of clepsits, to find Isaac and clear the names of his adoptive parents, who are also Wren's birth parents. The titular "others" are the "voracans," spiky little sulfurous-smelling orbs of pure evil. The voracans are enemies of both species, planning to wage all-out war. Forced to grow up in each other's worlds, Wren and Isaac begin to see there is strength in uniting to defeat a common enemy. The author cleverly uses the familiar changeling theme, allowing readers to explore their own feelings of being outsiders in their families and the worlds they inhabit. Descriptions of Wren experiencing life "on the surface" and her awkward interactions with human peers effectively capture her alienation. The book is well paced, but the characters are bland. The narrative works best on a metaphorical level for readers who are newly grappling with good vs. evil story lines.