An instantNew York Timesbestseller!

A dazzling debut (Booklist, starred review) middle grade fantasyabout a girl caught between the realms of the living and the dead who gets lostin the Underworldperfect for fans of Greenwild and Rick Riordan.

Senka lives between the realm of the Living and the realm of the Dead. As wardto Charon, the Ferryer of the Underworld, Senka assists in ferrying recentlydeparted souls across the river and into their afterlife. Although Charon hastaught her many Rules about life in the Underworld, there is much he avoidstelling her. Though she doesnt understand why the Rules are so important, shelistensshe must heed them in order to become an official Ferryer, just likeCharon.

Then a Living girl, Poppy, enters the Underworld to plead for help in findingthe ghost of her brother. Poppys grief tugs at Senkas heartbut helping Poppygoes against the very Rules Senka is so desperate to follow. When Poppy isyanked away by the rivers current, Senka leaps to save her, and she and Poppyare swept downriver, far from everything Senka has ever known.

Lost in the Underwild, Senka and Poppy encounter malevolent spirits of lore andeccentric ghostsand not all are willing to let souls slip through their grasp.Senka knows the Living cant stay in the realm of the Dead for long, and ifPoppy isnt returned home soon, she will risk becoming lost to the Underworldforever. But as Senka travels deeper into the Underwild, she discovers thereare secrets her guardian has kept from her, including the mystery surroundingher own existence. As Poppy and Senka dodge angry demigods, hungry wraiths, andterrifying dragon chimera, Senka gets closer to learning the truth of her ownpast. Soon, Senka wont just need to save Poppys lifeshell also need to saveher own.

About the Author

Shana Targosz writes about magical girls, buddingfriendships, ghosts who may or may not be friendly, and fiercely held hope.

She is an Oregon Literary Fellow and the 2021 recipient ofthe Edna L. Holmes Fellowship in Young Readers Literature.

Shana is the author of The Underwild series, the first bookof which was an instantNew York Timesbestseller.

When not writing or reading through a stack of books, shespends her time playing Zelda with her son, designing solo journaling games,walking her domesticated monster disguised as a Labradoodle, and dreaming updifferent worlds.