The Remarkable Journey of Charlie Price

Balzer+Bray/HarperCollins
ISBN: 978-0062380104
Cover Illustration © Olivier Tallec

Ever since twelve-year-old Charlie Price’s mom died, he feels like his world had been split into two parts. Before included stargazing and Mathletes and Saturday scavenger hunts with his family. After means a dad who’s completely checked out, comically bad dinners, and grief group that’s anything but helpful. It seems like losing Mom meant losing everything else he loved, too.

Just when Charlie thinks things can’t get any worse, his sister, Imogen, starts acting erratically – missing school and making up lies about their mother. But everything changes when one day, he follows her down a secret passageway in the middle of her bedroom and sees for himself. Imogen has found a parallel world when Mom is alive!

There’s board games and scavenger hunts and Mom’s famous spaghetti again and everything is perfect…at first. But something doesn’t feel right. And Imogen wants to spend more and more time on the other side. It’s almost as if she wants to leave the real world for good. If Charlie doesn’t uncover the truth, he could lose himself, the true memory of their mother and Imogen…forever.

“Jennifer Maschari’s debut novel is a workout for the heart. Charlie Price has to make a terrible choice between what has been and what could be, and readers will stick with him every poignant, suspenseful step of the way. Charlie’s journey is more than remarkable. It’s unforgettable.”

Tricia Springstubb, author of Moonpenny Island

“What a beautiful book Jen Maschari has written – a brave and big-hearted exploration of the sustaining power of friendship and the infinite treasure of memory our loved ones give us.”

Anne Ursu, author of Breadcrumbs and The Real Boy

“Beautifully crafted sentences read almost as if they were poetry…Fans of both fantasy and realistic fiction will appreciate this painful but ultimately triumphant, multilayered novel.”

School Library Journal (starred review)

“A beautifully written meditation on grief…Reminiscent of Neil Gaiman’s Coraline.”

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