Telly Mercer is shy and quiet, used to living in the shadow of her older sister, Bess. Then she finds herself on the set of a puppet show, staying out of the way of her overstressed aunt Kathleen. One evening she makes a surprising discovery that launches her on an adventure with an unpredictable and angry puppet.
"An entertaining work of light, humourous fantasy."
– CM Magazine
"Kids who sometimes feel like adults are pulling their strings will relish the idea of a puppet pal with a mind of his own."
– Center for Children's Books
"A fresh and unpredictable modern fantasy."
"A quirky and engaging adventure story."
– School Library Journal
"Grant's debut novel sparkles with humor; Telly's first-person narrative is deliciously low key and understated to the point of being laugh-out-loud funny."
"Any reader who has ever felt as if s/he lives in a sibling's shadow will identify with Telly immediately and cheer her on with great enthusiasm."
– KLIATT
"A very funny and gripping novel filled with bizarre characters that [Grant] manages to make credible."
– The Bookmark (BCTLA)
"A zany coming of age story."
– St. Catherine's Standard
"A cleverly crafted, believable peek into the fears of an over-looked child."
– Resource Links
Canadian Library Association (CLA) Book of the Year for Children | 2005 | Short-listed
Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award | 2006 | Short-listed
Forest of Reading Silver Birch Fiction Award | 2005 | Short-listed
Resource Links, The Year's Best Books | 2004 | Commended
VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates) Magazine - Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers | 2004 | Commended
