Sign of the Raven

In Julie Hearn's "Sign of the Raven," twelve-year-old Tom is grappling with his mother's cancer and the resulting family tension when he stumbles upon an extraordinary secret in his grandmother's London basement: a portal to 1717. There, he meets Astra, a "fairy child" whose unique appearance, along with her circus "freak" friends, puts them in grave danger from doctors seeking bodies for dissection. Tom is drawn into a desperate quest to save them, all while uncovering a dark family secret that intertwines his past and present. This chapter book blends historical fiction, fantasy, and realistic themes of illness and family, offering a compelling adventure for readers aged 8-12.

In the basement of his grandmother's home in London where his mother is recuperating from cancer, twelve-year-old Tom discovers a path to the past where, in the year 1717, a "fairy child" and her friends desperately need his help.