Middle schooler Sprout has ‘plantlers’, which is how she describes the woody growths protruding from her head that burst into bloom when she can’t control her emotions, so being out in the public eye seems out of the question. She generally keeps to herself, though she longs to go to public school and be able to be outside without a hat. After meeting a new friend named E.B. at her therapist’s office, the two set out to discover why Sprout is the way she is, and whether their New England town might be responsible for it.  This would be tricky enough, but Sprout has a few run-ins with a creepy man who seems to know a lot about her, and soon she and E.B. are simultaneously working to solve their mystery and fleeing from a sinister trio of men who want to capture her.

There is a lot going on and the story is a bit frantic, but middle grade fantasy fans who might be a little young for Stranger Things or Jeff Lemire’s Sweet Tooth will enjoy the magical realism of Sprout’s world. While it’s frightening that Sprout is being pursued, the book is ultimately an exploration of loving self-acceptance.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath