Another

A withdrawn tween must stop an enigmatic newcomer from usurping his family and his life in this unnerving horror novel by Tremblay (Horror Movie, for adults), the author’s children’s debut. Ever since a video mocking Casey Wilson’s facial tics went viral, the white-cued 12-year-old has struggled to manage stress and anxiety that prompted him to emotionally withdraw from his friends and made his tics—including hand squeezing and throat clearing—increase in frequency. Following a mysterious phone call from someone claiming to be one of Casey’s friends, a strange man carrying a burlap sack arrives on the family’s doorstep. From that sack emerges Morel, a boy who looks like a living mannequin with pinkish-gray skin and only the outlines of facial features. Though Casey is immediately wary, his parents, seemingly unfazed, allow Morel to stay with them while the stranger is away. As days pass, and as Morel becomes more humanlike, Casey’s usually attentive parents start to favor Morel over Casey. Tremblay utilizes body and psychological horror elements to build suspense and infuse creepiness throughout this introspective exploration of a lonely, insecure boy’s conflicting desires for independence and familial security. Connelly’s intermittent realistic pencil illustrations enhance the novel’s uncanny valley conceit. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Stephen Barbara, InkWell Management. (July)