Praise for Yonder
"Multilayered, moving, and tremendously powerful."
- KIRKUS REVIEWS (starred review)
“Standish’s uplifting mystery tackles big themes of abuse,bullying, heroism, mental health, and prejudice.”
- PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (starred review)
“A heartfelt tale about what it means to be a hero.”
- ALA BOOKLIST (starred review)
“Both timely and historical. An exploration of what it means to be brave and do good.”
- TAE KELLER, Newbury medal-winning author of When You Trap A Tiger
“A thoughtful, eloquent, and honest examination of prejudice, loyalty, and what it means to be brave.”
- ALAN GRATZ, New York Times bestselling author of Refugee and Ground Zero
“A beautiful and important novel that explores what it means tobe a hero and the role of each of us to stand up for what’s right."
- KARINA YAN GLASER, New York Times bestselling author of The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street
“The concluding message imparts there is no final horizon in thepursuit of peace and justice. Rather, like yonder, it is a direction."
- THE BULLETIN OF THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN'S BOOKS
“A powerful story."
- SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“Standish thoughtfully explores a number of nuanced themes,including friendship, loyalty, prejudice, and the horrors of war."
- BOOKPAGE
"Who ever heard of a place called Yonder? A place where cornstalks grew to the sky and the whole town ate at one long table? Where there was no trouble, no war?"
Danny Timmons has looked up to Jack Bailey ever since the older boy saved two small children from drowning during the Great Flood of 1940. Now, with his father away fighting in World War II and his mother about to have a new baby, Danny relies on Jack’s friendship and guidance more than ever.
So when Jack goes missing without a trace from their small Appalachian town, Danny is determined to find him. He wonders if Jack’s abusive father could be behind his disappearance or if it has anything to do with Yonder—a hidden magical town Jack once spoke of, where flocks of rainbow birds fly through the sky and they’ve never even heard of war. As answers elude him, Danny begins to fear that he didn’t know Jack as well as he thought.
Eventually, Danny’s search forces him to reckon with even larger questions: What is America fighting for in this war? What role do each of us play in stopping injustices, big and small? And is there such a thing as a true hero?
