Strange Creatures

Annie and her older brother, Jamie, have always been each other's closest companion. Nearly identical in temperament, they felt out of step with the suburban world around them, so they promised to look out for one another. When everyday life became too heavy, they built a hideaway in the woods behind their house: an imagined realm called Gumlea, which belonged only to the two of them.

For a time, that was enough. Then middle school arrived and Jamie grew withdrawn and somber. He made new friends, started dating, and built a life that left no room for Annie or Gumlea, until she felt she barely knew the brother who had been half of her.

Then one day Jamie disappears in a way no one can explain. His family and the whole community are shattered. As weeks stretch into months and years, the people around Annie gradually accept that he is gone for good. Annie does not. She is convinced that Jamie has slipped into Gumlea and that only she can bring him back. Both the true and invented stories that those left behind tell themselves to fill the gap become part of the tale.

As she searches for answers, Annie forms an unexpected bond with a girl she never anticipated knowing, and her search uncovers discoveries about what happened to her brother. Along the way, she must weigh how much of herself she is willing to sacrifice to keep hope alive.