• Age: 12 to 18
• Grade: 7 to 12

One night out of the blue, Ratchet Clark's ill-natured mother uproots her from Florida without a second thought. Ratchet is on a train to Maine for a summer with relatives within the blink of an eye. But these aren't just any relatives. Ratchet's ninety-two-year old great-aunts, twins Penpen and Tilly, live life in their secluded home on their own terms. They were born together, they grew up together, they live together, and they plan to die together. Through thick wilderness, down forgotten, bear-ridden roads, a plethora of strange family history, and a slew of unwelcome guests, Ratchet may just learn what a family can be after all. Unwelcome guests might just bring the greatest gifts of all.
By turns dark and humorous, Polly Horvath offers readers enough quirky characters and outrageous situations to leave them reeling!

Polly Horvath is one of the most highly acclaimed authors writing today. Her books include The Canning Season (winner of the National Book Award and the CLA Young Adult Book Award), Everything on a Waffle (a Newbery Honor Book, an ALA Notable Book and winner of the Mr. Christie's Book Award and the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize), The Trolls (a National Book Award finalist), My One Hundred Adventures (a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, a Booklist Editors' Choice, a Kirkus Reviews Best Children's Book of the Year and winner of a NAPPA Gold Award and the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize), and Northward to the Moon (an Oprah's Book Club Kids' Reading List selection and winner of a Parents' Choice Gold Award). Her most recent book is Mr. and Mrs. Bunny — Detectives Extraordinaire!

Polly Horvath's profile page

• Winner, NYPL Books for the Teen Age
• Long-listed, Kirkus Reviews Editor's Choice
• Long-listed, ALA Best Books for Young Adults
• Long-listed, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
• American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults
• Long-listed, Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year
• Winner, National Book Awards - Winner
• Long-listed, Chicago Tribune Best Books of the Year
• Long-listed, Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List
• Books for the Teen Age, New York Public Library
• Long-listed, Chicago Tribune Best Books of the Year
• Long-listed, School Library Best Books of the Year
• Winner, NYPL Books for the Teen Age
• Long-listed, Kirkus Reviews Editor's Choice
• Long-listed, School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
• American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults
• Long-listed, Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year
• Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books of the Year
• Long-listed, Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List

“* Horvath tops even Everything on a Waffle with this hilarious, heartrending tale of two unwanted children left with a pair of eccentric old ladies. . . . Once again Horvath displays a genius for creating multigenerational, interestingly extended families, and for blending high and low comedy into a tale rife with important themes and life-changing events.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review
“* Readers are in for a wise and wacky ride.” —School Library Journal, starred review
“* Unruly, unpredictable and utterly compelling. . . . Readers may find themselves wondering just how far Horvath will go with her uncensored, Mad Hatter humor--and they won't be disappointed with her steering.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review
“Alternately dark and humorous, Polly Horvath's imagination is always a treat.” —The Chicago Tribune