The Ogress and the Orphans

A National Book Award finalist and fantasy novel about the power of community, generosity, books, and baked goods, from the author of the Newbery Medal winner The Girl Who Drank the Moon. The town of Stone in the Glen was once prosperous and vibrant, with a celebrated library, thriving businesses, and educated families. After a series of terrible fires destroyed the library and other buildings, the town has suffered from droughts, blight, and ongoing destruction. The townspeople place their faith in the Mayor, a charismatic figure with golden hair and white teeth who claims he alone can solve their problems and is known as a dragon slayer. When a child goes missing from the local Orphan House, the Mayor directs suspicion toward the Ogress who recently arrived at the edge of town. However, the children of the Orphan House know the truth. They must work together to clear the Ogress's name and uncover the real cause of the town's troubles before Stone in the Glen destroys itself.