The Ogress and the Orphans

by Kelly Barnhill

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

From the author who blessed us with The Girl Who Drank The Moon comes the heartwarming story of an ogress who isn’t as bad as the townspeople make her out to be. Similar in theme to Barnhill’s other works, this is a captivating fantasy that will inspire young readers to challenge their preconceptions.

A National Book Award finalist and instant fantasy classic about the power of community, generosity, books, and baked goods, from the author of the beloved Newbery Medal winner The Girl Who Drank the Moon.

The town of Stone in the Glen used to be lovely, but it hasn’t been so in a very long time. 

Once a celebrated town with a vibrant town square, prosperous businesses and families, and educated, happy children, Stone in the Glen has fallen on hard times. Since the expansive and beloved Library burned with other buildings in a time of terrible fires, the town has been plagued by droughts, blight, and destruction. 

But the people have continued to put their faith in the Mayor, a dazzling fellow with a bright shock of golden hair and brilliant white teeth who promises that he alone can solve their problems. And he is a famous dragon slayer! At least, no one has ever seen a dragon in the Mayor’s presence…

But somebody is to blame for the town’s problems, not only the fires and the decline that followed them, but the child who has gone missing from the local Orphan House. And with a little helpful suggestion from the Mayor, all eyes turn to the Ogress who has come to live at the far edge of town. 

Only the children of the Orphan House know the truth. Together, they must clear the Ogress's name and solve the mystery of the town's destruction before their home of Stone in the Glen is destroyed by its own people.

 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781643750743
Publisher:	Workman Publishing Company
Publication date:	03/08/2022
Pages:	400
Sales rank:	117,030
Product dimensions:	5.70(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.40(d)
Age Range:	10 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kelly Barnhill lives in Minnesota with her husband and three children. She is the author of six novels, including The Girl Who Drank the Moon, winner of the 2017 John Newbery Medal. She is also the winner of the World Fantasy Award and has been a finalist for the Minnesota Book Award, a Nebula Award, and the PEN/USA literary prize. Visit her online at kellybarnhill.com or on Twitter: @kellybarnhill.

Editorial Reviews

★ 01/31/2022

Before fires claimed its spaces of books and learning, Stone-in-the-Glen was a “lovely town... famous for its trees,” its abundance, its close-knit community, and its ample library (where even the librarians’ “shushes were lovely”). Following the fires, however, searing light, damaging floods, and anger and rumor become commonplace, and the cued-white human residents retreat behind locked doors and fences, goaded on by a self-interested, isolationist mayor who sows a campaign of suspicion and fear. At the impoverished but love-filled Orphan House, 15 children reside alongside two elderly sweethearts and a fantastical reading room, doing their best to stretch their meager resources. When a “careful and considerate” ogress takes up residence at the town’s far edge, cultivating a garden and observing the town’s need, she begins delivering nourishing baked goods and boxes of vegetables to the residents overnight. Employing a benevolent, omniscient narrator (“Listen,” the voice urges) and a slowly unfurling, deliberately paced telling, Newbery Medalist Barnhill incorporates ancient stories, crow linguistics, and a history of dragonkind into an ambitious, fantastical sociopolitical allegory that asks keen questions about the nature of time, the import of community care, and what makes a neighbor. Ages 10–up. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 01/06/2023

Gr 3–7—With her trademark style and grace, Newbery Medal—winning Barnhill (The Girl Who Drank the Moon) has once again transported readers into a world that will feel as familiar as their own. The Ogress has moved into the poverty-stricken town of Stone-in-the-Glen, and not all are happy about it. Everyone keeps to themselves and the last thing any of them want is to live next to an ogress. When she decides to start leaving presents for the townfolks, they are happy to accept them but still are not welcoming towards her. The only kindness she receives comes from the children of the Orphan House. When confronted with something terrible, will people believe in the Ogress, or will they keep to themselves and refuse to accept what they see and know about her? Beautifully written, full of moments that resonate deeply with readers, this book is simultaneously heartbreaking and hopeful. It will challenge readers to consider whether they will stand up for others or are content to watch from the sidelines. Adults may see parallels in the contemporary real-world issues mirrored in the divide in this story; it allows readers to ponder our society and consider our responses to challenging situations. VERDICT A middle grade novel with heart, this one will be a hit with educators, parents, and students who will push through the injustices to favor hope.—Stephanie Charlefour

School Library Journal

★ 2021-12-24
A once-idyllic town blames an outsider for its woes.

Long ago, a fire claimed Stone-in-the-Glen’s beloved Library, which started a sequence of events that eroded all of the nicest things about the town, changing the identity of the place and the townspeople alike as citizens grew suspicious and closed off from one another. When the town fails to support the Orphan House, one orphan runs away so as to not take more resources. Cass is rescued and brought back by the sweet-natured Ogress who lives on a farm at the edge of Stone-in-the-Glen. But her return is spied by a man who misunderstands and thinks the Ogress is abducting children, and the townspeople become riled up against the Ogress by the self-serving, strife-loving Mayor. When the adults won’t listen to the children, they must find another way to help their generous neighbor and repair their broken community. The story’s told from a broadly omniscient perspective through slow, thoughtful pacing. Readers will make connections before the characters do—especially regarding the true nature of the villain—and they are given narrative assurance of a happy ending. This offers young audiences security as they grapple with nuanced, realistic portrayals of people who are neither all good nor all bad. It also gives them space to form their own opinions on the book’s philosophical and thematic questions, including the refrain: “The more you give, the more you have.” Main human characters read as White.

Combines realistic empathy with fantastical elements; as exquisite as it is moving. (Fantasy. 9-adult)

Kirkus Reviews

New York Times Bestseller
Shortlisted for the National Book Award in Young People's Literature
An Amazon Best of the Year honoree

“An exquisite fantasy tale …  Whether you’ve been counting the months, weeks and days or are brand-new to Barnhill’s sharp, word-perfect prose and classical yet fresh storytelling, you’re going to love this standalone fantasy.
—BookPage, “2022 Preview: Most Anticipated Children’s Books”

“As exquisite as it is moving.”
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“The reader is immediately tossed into this fantasy … The Mayor is a fantastic (though loathsome) villain, oozing charisma and evil in equal measures … . It is fortunate that her tinkering with fairy tales and fables helped open a path to this novel that champions kindness in a very dark world.”
—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)

“Barnhill’s gift for storytelling immediately draws readers into this character-driven tale where dragons lurk, crows prove great friends, and an unusual narrator relays events with a unique perspective. These fairy-tale trappings cloak modern lessons and timeless ideals that readers will do well to take to heart, no matter their age.”
—Booklist (starred review)

Barnhill delivers a plea for empathy with deft charm...Deeply moving and often hilarious, The Ogress and the Orphans will encourage readers to live by the Ogress's adage: "The more you give, the more you have." —Shelf Awareness (starred review)

“Newbery Medalist Barnhill incorporates ancient stories, crow linguistics, and a history of dragonkind into an ambitious, fantastical sociopolitical allegory that asks keen questions about the nature of time, the import of community care, and what makes a neighbor.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A delightful tale with dragons, ogres, and orphans that is sure to have readers turning pages to see what happens next. … Characters from the town of Stone in the Glen are well developed and engaging. … Well written and engaging, this title is sure to please readers of all ages as it teaches valuable lessons on acceptance.”
—Youth Services Book Review

“Readers of all ages will love it. 5/5 stars.”
—YA Books Central

Praise for The Girl Who Drank the Moon:

2017 Newbery Medal Winner
A New York Times Bestseller
A New York Public Library Best Book of 2016
A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2016

“Impossible to put down . . . The Girl Who Drank the Moon is as exciting and layered as classics like Peter Pan or TheWizard of Oz.”
—The New York Times Book Review
 
“A gorgeously written fantasy about a girl who becomes “enmagicked” after the witch who saves her from death feeds her moonlight.”
—People
 
“With compelling, beautiful prose, Kelly Barnhill spins the enchanting tale of a kindly witch who accidentally gives a normal baby magic powers, then decides to raise her as her own.”
—EW.com, The Best Middle-Grade Books of 2016
 
“Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick . . . Replete with traditional motifs, this nontraditional fairy tale boasts sinister and endearing characters, magical elements, strong storytelling, and unleashed forces.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review
 
“Rich with multiple plotlines that culminate in a suspenseful climax, characters of inspiring integrity, a world with elements of both whimsy and treachery, and prose that melds into poetry. A sure bet for anyone who enjoys a truly fantastic story.”
—Booklist, starred review
 
“An expertly woven and enchanting offering.”
—School Library Journal, starred review
 
“Barnhill crafts another captivating fantasy, this time in the vein of Into the Woods . . . Barnhill delivers an escalating plot filled with foreshadowing, well-developed characters, and a fully realized setting, all highlighting her lyrical storytelling.”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

From the Publisher