Mirror Town (The Bizarre Bazaar #1)

In this double graphic novel debut, a fantastical series opener, Newbery Medalist Nayeri spins tales of passing strange originating from a magical marketplace boasting enchanted wares. Every item bought and sold at the Bizarre Bazaar—run by blond, temperamental Babs and her grumpy, salt-and-pepper-bearded partner Bruno—has a story, including an antique mirror with the power to transport users to mystical alternate realities, the tale of which 12-year-old protagonist Abel soon learns. To help distract himself from how lonely he feels during summer vacation, incoming middle schooler Abel assists his elderly neighbor in cleaning out her garage. It’s there that he finds an old mirror, which he brings to the Bizarre Bazaar and offers to trade to Babs for a good luck charm. When he accidentally falls through the mirror and finds himself in an alternate world, however, Abel will need more than luck to make his way back home. Through Babs and Bruno’s intermittent narration—conveyed in sporadic pop-ups throughout—Nayeri cleverly highlights the potential consequences of limitless magic. Enright’s bold and brightly colored illustrations add dynamic movement to this freewheeling, wish-fulfilling adventure, which suggests that too much of a good thing can be as dangerous as it is exciting. Characters are depicted with varying ages, body types, and skin tones. Ages 8–12. (July)