Strange the Dreamer

Orphaned Lazlo, who grew up in an abbey and was an apprentice at a great library, is fascinated with great myths and legends, and from a young age dreamed of the mythical city of Weep. Weep is a magical city on the far side of the desert where, for over 200 years, no one who has ventured there has returned, but a group of “godslayers” intends to set out and Lazlo is invited to join them on the treacherous and dream-filled journey. This fantasy novel for grades 9-12 includes well-developed characters, complex relationships, deals with themes of family, trauma, memory, hope, and revenge, and would be suitable for literature circles and independent study, and to encourage critical thinking.