Kit's Wilderness

In David Almond's Printz Award-winning novel, thirteen-year-old Kit Watson moves to Stoneygate, an old coal-mining town, to live with his ailing grandfather. Drawn into a mysterious game called Death by the enigmatic John Askew, Kit delves into the town's dark past and the history of his own family, whose ancestors worked and died in the mines. The story beautifully weaves together themes of grief, memory, courage, and the power of storytelling, blending magical realism with a poignant exploration of intergenerational family bonds. It's a deeply moving read for mature middle-grade and young adult readers.

The Printz Award--winning classic gets a new look.The Watson family moves to Stoneygate, an old coal-mining town, to care for Kit's recently widowed grandfather. When Kit meets John Askew, another boy whose family has both worked and died in the mines, Askew invites Kit to join him in playing a game called Death. As Kit's grandfather tells him stories of the mine's past and the history of the Watson family, Askew takes Kit into the mines, where the boys look to find the childhood ghosts of their long-gone ancestors. Written in haunting, lyrical prose, Kit's Wilderness examines the bonds of family from one generation to the next, and explores how meaning and beauty can be revealed from the depths of darkness.A Michael L. Printz Award WinnerAn ALA Notable Book A Publishers Weekly Best BookFrom the Paperback edition.