What a fun middle grade read! I was lucky enough to hear the author read an excerpt of this at GenCon, and I knew I had to get it for my son as soon as it came out. This is like a middle grade book crossed with urban fantasy--with a note of Charles de Lint--featuring Kalvan, a creative kid with a mentally ill mom. When he first encounters a talking fire hare, he thinks it's his turn to go crazy, but his adventure is only just beginning. The book delves into an aspect of mythology I didn't know about since I'm not from Minnesota: the winter festival, the Winter King, and vulcans (and not the Live Long and Prosper kind).

Also, I loved how sensitively the book portrays mental illness--and that despite the magic in the book, there are no easy cures and answers. ( )