Sprout - by Taylor Tyng (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Sprout has always hidden from the world--having antlers growing out of your head will do that. But when she hears that someone else like her might exist, she's willing to risk her safety--and that of her town--to get to the truth. A fantastical middle grade adventure that is sure to grow on you.

"Sprout is inventive, wonderfully peculiar, and full of heart and wonder. Readers will love it." -Erin Entrada Kelly, Two-time Newbery Medalist & National Book Award Finalist

Sprout has gotten used to hiding. Having antlers growing out of your head will do that. But when she learns that another girl with wild antlers has been spotted, Sprout is determined to see if there is someone else out there who understands the strangeness she feels.

Soon she attracts the attention of E.B., a fellow oddball, who remembers everthing he has ever seen, read, or heard. And he's not the only one fascinated by Sprout. A curious doctor and a set of terrifying twins are tracking Sprout's every move. But nothing could have prepared Sprout for the dark secrets that have taken root in her town. Digging up the truth might help Sprout understand her past--or it might spell the end of her town forever.

Acclaimed author Taylor Tyng delivers a fast-paced and marvelously fantastical adventure about learning to embrace who you are--thorns and all.

Review Quotes

"Sprout's sparkling first-person POV--brimming with sassy confidence and snarky humor--relays this funny and heartwarming adventure by Tyng, which straddles the line between cozy fantasy and fast-paced thriller." --Publishers Weekly

"This twisty mystery story brims with whimsy and charm....A quirky adventure that's sprouting with self-discovery." --Kirkus Reviews

"Tyng excels in providing the right amount of details to create immersive scenes....while illustrating its commentary on gentrification, corruption, and environmentalism. Tyng's latest is an original story harkening back to the weird but adventurous movies of the '80s that cast an outsider in the leading role." --Booklist

"The snappy narration, quick pace, and seamless blend of mystery, sci-fi, and action make this a perfect choice for readers looking for a thrilling genre mash-up." --The Bulletin

"Sprout's sharp narrative voice (complete with witty sarcasm and banter) and the novel's cast of quirky characters make joining her for the ride enjoyable." --The Horn Book

"Slightly spooky and wholly inventive, this fantastical mystery will appeal to readers who love outsider protagonists and small-town secrets." --School Library Journal

About the Author

Taylor Tyng is an American author of fantastical fiction for young readers. His first novel, Clara Poole and the Long Way Round, was called "an engrossing and inventive flight through the skies" by Kirkus Reviews and a "soaring debut with echoes of Jules Verne and Roald Dahl" by Booklist. Its follow-up, Clara Poole and the Wrong Way Up was praised, "as winsome as ever," by Kirkus Reviews. The idea for Sprout came from a drawing by Taylor's daughter who sowed the seeds of this tale.