When 12-year-old Roda begins receiving notes from someone she calls Anonymous, the small, comfortable world she shares with her mom and Aunt Dora is upended. The injured crow she bikes to rescue from the frozen mist of the town border turns out to be Ignis, a slightly cranky shape-changing boy with smoky, grayish skin and black hair. Ignis is missing memories about the events that propelled him through the mist and into the Aerlands from beyond the borders, where there are gryphons and other dangerous monsters. However, he feels compelled to follow the instructions in Anonymous' notes to venture outside the mist and (literally) catch the comet that passes overhead every 10 years. Enchantments reveal themselves to Roda and Ignis: The comet is a portal to the past and future, bringing the possibility--and consequences--of time travel. A long-ago mage formed it as a place out of time and space, leading readers to contemplate interrelated concepts: nowhere, no where, and now here. Might Ignis prevent the disaster that wiped out his family? And if the past is changed, what happens to the timeline or to beings who try to change fate? Hassan's visually rich and sure-handed prose, strong characters, realistic dialogue, and page-turning plotting offer a compelling adventure with a philosophical heart. In this fantasy world, human characters are diverse in appearance; Roda is pale skinned with blue eyes and dark, curly hair. A marvelous blend of fantasy and time-travel speculation with a seasoning of steampunk. (Fantasy. 9-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gr 3--7--Twelve-year-old Roda remembers perfectly the day she rescued a crow from the mists surrounding her town. The first two notes she'd received from someone known only as Anonymous had been fairly innocuous in their predictions of future events and odd riddles--so when the third told her to save the crow, she never would have guessed how completely that one action would change her life. Now Roda and the crow, actually a shape-shifting boy named Ignis, must follow Anonymous's instructions and venture outside the mists protecting Roda's home on a perilous journey in search of a place called Nowhere. They hope to find a way to save Roda's mother, unlock Ignis's missing memories and possibly travel back in time to prevent the events that led to his family's death. Hassan's debut is a wonderful blend of speculative genres, featuring a rich world and complex characters readers are sure to love. Roda and her family are white; other characters present more diversely, in a fantasy context. VERDICT A highly recommended purchase, excellent for fans of Studio Ghibli, Rick Riordan, and Madeleine L'Engle alike.--Kaitlin Frick

Roda has heard many stories of what lies beyond the mist that surrounds the city, like those about creatures that lurk throughout Aerlands, ready to attack anyone vulnerable in the freezing mist. The mist was placed by a legendary mage to protect the city of Brume and its surrounding cities, and very rarely do people travel out. Roda has never had a need or desire to leave the city--until, that is, she begins to receive messages from Anonymous, whose letters predict the future. The most recent note tells her to travel to the edge of town and save a crow, but this bird isn't just any ordinary crow, and Anonymous is still being elusive, forcing Roda to venture out into the unknown in search of answers in a place called Nowhere. Hassan's debut title is a wondrous and spellbinding adventure filled with many magical beings and memorable characters. The cinematic world building and pacing will enchant readers, and the multiple twists will leave them on the edge of their seats.

Twelve-year-old white-cued Roda lives with her mother and Aunt Dora in an Aerland city bordered by a paralyzing mist. Everyone knows that, while the mist is dangerous, it's meant to keep them safe; it petrifies anything that touches it, preventing the terrifying monsters of the wild from entering their town. After Roda rescues a small crow who seemingly tumbled through the mist, the bird turns out to be a shape-shifter named Ignis, a boy around her age who has no memory of what he was doing before he fell. Gathering up a series of letters, which Roda has been receiving from an anonymous source, the pair follow the notes and their ostensibly prophetic instructions beyond the mist and into the outside world, called Nowhere. Roda and Ignis travel across Nowhere's perilous landscape, populated by dangerous creatures such as gryphons, hoping to encounter Kader's Comet, which only appears once every 10 years and is rumored to be a portal between the past and present. Hassan grounds complex worldbuilding and characterizations with easily digestible writing and fluid dialogue. This keenly plotted fantasy debut blends a tranquil contemporary world with an epically time-rending adventure. Ages 12--up. Agent: Erica Bauman, Aevitas Creative Management. (May)