Zharmae Publishing Press and Net Galley gave me the opportunity to read this book for review (thank you). It has been published earlier this month, so check with your local bookstore for a copy.
Cora Catlin is pudgy. Her mother tries to keep her on a diet. Her father supplies her with pastries. As you can guess, she's not getting thinner. She's also not very pretty. This means the other kids at school like to pick on her. Anybody different gets picked on, you know. Her life is less than special, she has no freedom, and she sees no future. But a walk in the woods changes all that one day...
She meets a very small man who looks almost elf-like and he tells her she's needed in another world; she's not of this world. She can't believe what happens when she finally gets to visit this other world up in the clouds. She's beautiful! What little girl wouldn't like to leave her pudgy ordinary body behind and become a natural beauty?
This home in the clouds is fascinating. They eat pastries all the time and gain no weight. (See why I said you had to leave your serious side behind?) Everyone is attractive and has a lovely personality. Well, everybody except their enemy...
Cora loves her new parents but misses her old ones. She falls in love with the son of the enemy (disaster) and she has to fight a war to protect her new home. It's not easy living in the clouds.
The food reminded me of Piers Anthony's Xanth series. Add in a touch of Willy Wonka and Alice in Wonderland and you have a pretty good idea of how this story goes. I found it amusing and entertaining. I'm sure those in middle school will like it even better.
