The Very Dangerous Sisters of Indigo McCloud

Indigo McCloud seeks to save his schoolmates from the machinations of his manipulative older sister Peaches in this unwieldy comedy from Hearne. Peaches, who is highly regarded by adults, requires regular tributes from local children and exploits her enemies' worst fears in fanciful, complicated schemes planned from an underground lair. She's backed up by hench-sisters Berry, Root, and Su, whose arrayed talents make them a formidable crew. Most recently, Peaches has become set on dominating a calendar-selling competition, threatening any who refuse to peddle calendars in her name or fail to meet their quota. When Peaches menaces a new neighbor and imperils the lone child who stands up to her, Indigo realizes that he must do something. The substantial action unfurls in Blunt, a town home to myriad peculiar industries (hairy spiders, plastic Christmas trees), as "skilled watcher" Indigo, who has parkour-like rooftopping skills, works with research pro Polly to oust Peaches. Add in a bumbling police inspector, an outrageous wigmaker, and a whole lot of geese, and the effect is a raucous read with notably Roald Dahl-leaning social sensibilities. Characters largely cue as white. Ages 8-12. (Feb.)

Gr 4-7--The title says it all. Indigo McCloud, a boy whose hair turned grey after his mother's untimely death, lives in the quirky town of Blunt with very dangerous sisters. His older sister Peaches, blonde-haired and blue-eyed, is a juvenile terrorist, assisted by sisters Root, Berry, and Tsunami ("Su"). Her ruthless demands, combined with her gaslighting of adult authorities and her maniacal retributions, strike fear into children. Those who cross her, like schoolmate Lucy Jones, end up dumped into glue, plastered with breadcrumbs, and attacked by passing geese. In subsequent chapters, Peaches's personalized attacks are aimed at Mandy and Oswald Tripes, chestnut-haired rivals in a school fundraising competition. Indigo, an expert in traveling and rappelling from city buildings, works with his literal-minded, intelligence-providing friend Polly to save Peaches's targets. Picture Blunt as something out of Roald Dahl's imagination, with a plastic Christmas tree factory belching smoke and a town celebration of "Ingratitude Day" harkening back to a 12th-century failed siege, during which citizens hurl insults at each other. While there is a ridiculous quality to Blunt, Peaches's unadulterated violence and hatred are highly menacing. The book's pacing keeps readers on tenterhooks, seeing Indigo's underdog efforts against Peaches as an epic battle of good versus evil. Spoiler alert--Peaches is not redeemable, and readers may be slightly disappointed at the quick wrap up with no guarantee against her future escapades. VERDICT This Irish import will please children who want an over-the-top bully book jam-packed with adventure. This novel is wacky, awesome, and terrifying. It hits the right balance of ridiculous and real, but a sibling trying to kill a sibling is still intense and may be a specific fit for prepared readers.--Caitlin Augusta

"Hilarity and heart center this quirky story about a young hero quietly taking a stand." - Kirkus Reviews

"This novel is wacky, awesome, and terrifying." - School Library Journal

"An exciting and original debut." - Sara Keating, The Irish Times

"Writing a dystopian world that is laugh-out-loud funny is no mean feat, but to create such an environment for young readers is nothing short of extraordinary.' - Children's Books Ireland

'Missing Roald Dahl? Need a book where bad kids are just bad and they get their comeuppance? This is the book for you. John has written a fabulously funny, dark, clever novel.' - Read and Reviewed