The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines

by Mo Netz

In this debut spooky adventure, Jerry and her trusty wheelchair move into a creepy motel at the edge of the woods where nothing is as it seems. When her mom disappears, it’s up to Jerry to brave the forest and its demons so she can save what’s left of her family.

Ever since her dad died, 11-year-old Jerry Blum and her mom have bounced around dead-end towns, staying in a series of rundown motels where her mother picks up housekeeping work and Jerry can get around in her wheelchair. 

But the Slumbering Giant motel is different. Lights blink on and off in the surrounding trees, a mysterious radio station plays only at midnight, and people disappear into the woods, never to been seen again. Not to mention that Jerry’s mom keeps vanishing to do “special work” that she refuses to discuss. When her mother doesn’t come home one morning, Jerry springs into action.

Luckily, she’s not alone. Paul, a pocket-size imaginary dragon, and Chapel, a new friend with a penchant for the supernatural, join Jerry’s search for her missing mom. But along the way Jerry discovers her mother’s terrible secret: she’s not a housekeeper at all; in fact, she’s been defending the town from demons that have been haunting it for generations.

Armed with nothing but a Ren Faire sword and a backpack, Jerry and her friends venture into the forbidden woods to save Jerry’s mother. But the “demons” hiding there aren’t what they seem, and Jerry must unravel the truth behind the town’s legend, or risk losing what’s left of her family.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mystery, Disability, Horror, Audiobook, Adventure

208 pages, Hardcover

First published March 12, 2024

Reviews

[Tori G · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars for the book, all the stars for Paul the Yiddish-speaking dragon 🐉

[Dramapuppy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute. The plot is way too ambitious for the page count, but I appreciate the representation

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had some fun bits and some kinda didactic bits. I loved how the kid lived in her wheelchair and just did things. She also often stopped to tell us some bit of wheelchair truths that people should know, and those bits didn’t always fit seamlessly into the story but stuck out as Things People Should Know, like how sometimes people using wheelchairs can walk a few steps. I liked the new best friend, but she also sometimes contorted herself to Teach Valuable Things. I loved that there were ghosts and a dead dad and those two things never interacted.

So, it’s great representation! I love that this books exists and is fun to read! I hope there are more, and we can get to ones that just have kids in wheelchairs having their adventures without pausing for little lessons. Also, the narrative let the mom’s behavior completely off the hook. Like, don’t enlist in a war without at least giving your kid a heads up.

[Megyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jerry is a young girl who is in a wheelchair. Jerry and her mom have moved around a lot since Jerry’s dad passed away. When they come to a new hotel that is supposedly haunted and weird things start happening, Jerry teams up with a new friend to save her mom from the woods.

This was a cute story! I liked the characters and the quirky animal in this book. Jerry finds her courage and her voice trying to save her mom. The friendship between Jerry and Chapel was cute. There was some creepy parts and suspense as well. This book was a good mix between suspense/creepiness and friendship and love. It was a quick read and I think a lot of kids will like it!

Thanks so much to netgalley and Harpercollins Childrens books for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 STARS is more accurate. I enjoyed it, but it never fully grabbed my undivided attention. It got better as it goes along. I like how the author hits on Jerry's wheelchair use and how not every disability is the same. This was a nice touch. Her character is still strong and independent and I adore her. Paul is my favorite character though. No surprise there. It really takes a long time to get the the mystery of the story, let alone the magic/paranormal aspects (excluding Paul). Cute lessons, not so smart adults and a girl who is mostly confident in herself as long as she doesn't connect to other youth.

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun, spooky story for the middle grade crowd (or scaredy-cat adults like me)! This tale moves fast; from making friends to saving the day, Jerry doesn’t let up for a second! Loved the rep, Paul, and girls saving the day! Oh, and definitely squealed at the Supernatural reference. 🐉

[Stephanie Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun and spooky tale about Jerry who is in a wheelchair because of a degenerative disease that has to go look for her mother who disappeared in the creepy woods that are adjacent to the hotel they live in as Special Work and ends up encountering demons that her mom is trying to banish which are actually trapped spirits. Jerry with Paul her imaginary dragon and her new friend Chapel they end up in the forest looking for her mom and encountering all manner of weird things and it turns out her imaginary dragon isn’t so imaginary and that jerry has magic which is just what she needs to help out the spirits that are trapped and help find her mom. This was a really great fast read and I liked how they incorporated her use of her wheelchair.
Thanks to Clarion Books and Netgalley for the complimentary copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

[Deke Moulton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, I don't know where to start, but the kvelling was honestly cover to cover. Jerry is a kid (girl? Nonbinary? Experimenting with gender? It wasn't always clear--Jerry is called a daughter and she/her but also in the opening chapter Jerry thinks about how much she doesn't like being seen as a girl, or that her wheelchair is pink because it lets everyone assume she's a girl, and she adopts masculine haircuts/clothing styles. . . but also may be a 'not concisely defined gender' since there are definitely kids at that age who aren't entirely sure where they feel comfortable yet either).

Jerry uses a wheelchair, and honestly, this particular part really shines through in the entire story. From ableist actions/bullying in flashbacks to the 'wow, look how nice I am' attitudes commonly perceived as positive thrown towards disabled kids. . . to the way that Jerry's wheelchair use doesn't prevent her from going on an adventure. These parts of the story were so authentic. Like, there's ACTUAL BATTLES WITH DEMONS WITH A WHEELCHAIR. And even when Jerry's wheelchair can be a problem (there's mud, cliffs, water, obstacles) there's other times where it's actually the most powerful thing (sliding away from danger down a hill, using the wheelchair's bulk to block attacks, being able to use the wheelchair's handle bars to carry bags of rocks that normally middle schoolers couldn't handle on their own). And even at one point, Jerry thinks "there's no point wishing I had different hands, these are the ones I have, I've got to work with what I've got" --such a great line!

But I also treasured this book's intersectionality. How poverty and disability often combine in horrible ways--like, the fact that Jerry and her mom must live in motels, because affordable apartments aren't accessible. Jerry is often left home alone while her mother works. And Jerry struggles to maintain friendships because of a horrible ableism prank, where Jerry's ability to stand briefly led kids at her previous school to think she was 'milking' it and pushed her down the stairs, wheelchair and all, to 'prove' that she could walk (because she would jump up to 'save herself') -- all such powerfully authentic moments that are sure to develop empathy.

My biggest complain is that some of the action scenes go by SO FAST. And I don't want to spoil any of the mystery because the mystery of the first half kept me turning pages all night.

All in all, this is excellent disability representation, a great middle grade adventure for all readers, and a lot of spooky fun to boot!

[Therearenobadbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun unexpected supernatural story/adventure.

It's diverse and inclusive and has a character who is in a wheelchair going through abrupt and hard changes in her life: loss of a parent, bullying, isolation, her disease made her dependent on a wheelchair.

There are so many mysteries and questions set up in the first pages that I read this one in one sitting. Where does Jerry's mom go every night? Are the woods really haunted? Are ghosts real? Is Jerry going to overcome her difficulties? Is Jerry's dragon a product of her grief? Will she find new friends that will make her smile again with common interests who understand her? Are witches for real? What about those Guardians?

Very well written it answers all the questions with awesome twists.

Supernatural, paranormal, awesome family and new friends relationship.

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this e-ARC.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the middle grade folklore mystery of this book. I think this is a fantastic book for middle grade readers of all ages, but especially for those who have a disability or feel alone. The dedication for this book is absolutely beautiful.

The Doctor Who reference made me giggle. Paul was a fun nonhuman character, and I loved their friendship.

Content Warning: child gets in car with a father and daughter to go to the library without asking her mother for permission first.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written, and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Jerry and her mother have struggled ever since the death of Jerry's father, and have moved around from inexpensive motel to inexpensive motel. Apartments are difficult because Jerry is in a wheelchair due to a degenerative genetic disorder. When the two land at the Slumbering Giant Motel (the "s" is on the blink, hence the title of the book), Jerry's mother tells her that this is a permanent stop. Working for Ms. Mavis at the hotel, with occasional jobs outside, is steady work that comes with a room. Jerry has had bad experiences with public school, so is happy to be home schooled, but her mother is very busy with the new job. Jerry has a small dragon named Paul to keep her company, although her mother views him as an imaginary friend. Luckily, there is another girl her age at the motel, Chapel Bell. The Bells lost their home in a fire, and are staying at the motel until they can find a new place to live. Chapel and Jerry strike up a friendship, and are soon drawn into the mystery of where Jerry's mother disappears to for so long. Jerry follows her mother's car's oil tracks into the woods, and discovers that the voices she has heard on the radio are real. The Windy Pines area has long suffered from strange disappearances in the woods, but Jerry and Chapel are able to find out more information about them that takes them in a surprising direction. What part of all of this does Ms. Mavis play? What is Jerry's mother doing in the woods? And how will Jerry and Chapel help keep the Lumbering Giant safe for everyone?
Strengths: The writing in this was particularly strong. Fast paced, well balanced, and appealing pell mell, I was swept along with the story and intrigued by the mystery. Jerry has a lot of agency for a 7th grader, and although I worried about her mother leaving her alone so much, younger readers will be glad that she has so much unsupervised time. Paul the dragon was interesting. It was good that Jerry had a friend to accompany on her adventures in the woods and was there to help out on occasion, although Jerry did quite well without help most of the time. I don't want to ruin the twists and turns in this one.
Weaknesses: Something about the talking miniature dragon made this seem a little young. There's no good explanation for why I believe that there are demons in the woods but not a dragon in Jerry's pocket.
What I really think: There are not too many books where characters who use wheelchairs get to have adventures, although this did remind me a little of Vaught's Super Max (2017). There's also Sumner's Roll With It series, Otis' At the Speed of Lies, Ghislain's A Bad Night for Bullies, John's Mascot, Stroker and Davidowitz's The Chance to Fly and several books with characters who are involved in wheelchair sports. It's good to see better representation across a variety of genres.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
Jerry’s legs aren’t strong enough to walk for long so she’s forced to navigate using a wheelchair. Her disability is due to a hereditary problem so her legs become weaker as she grows older. Jerry is homeschooled and has gotten used to frequently moving around with her mother. Jerry doesn’t feel a need to attend public school ever again and she gets annoyed when others see the wheelchair and prejudge or pity her. These traits display the confidence, independence, and bravery necessary to take on the world, even when the world might be full of demons. Jerry eventually makes friends with a girl named Chapel who sees the wheelchair but still treats her as an equal.
Jerry’s best “friend” is an invisible, tiny dragon named Paul that she creates when her father dies. The dragon often stays in her shirt pocket and offers comments and advice as Jerry encounters challenges with her new life living in a motel. Her mother is concerned that Jerry talks to an imaginary creature (or is it?) and wants to help Jerry deal with her apparent emotional issues. Paul says he’ll protect Jerry but he struggles to fly and he can’t shoot flames so she’s not sure how he would do that. It turns out Paul has some surprises to reveal as the plot nears its climax.
People have been disappearing in the woods of Windy Pines for years so Jerry is concerned when she sees her mother entering the forest. Jerry also hears a strange voice on the radio that only broadcasts in the middle of the night. It first says “They’re coming” and later speaks of guardians. Readers won’t immediately understand what’s happening but the mysterious voice acts as a foreshadowing of events to come. It’s clear Jerry’s mother is more than the motel housekeeper and her secret, special projects are her main purpose for being in Windy Pines. The book’s title and the radio voice indicate giants will be involved in the story but who knows when, where, and why they’ll appear?
What didn’t work as well:
The plot moves into the woods and Jerry is forced to trek through the trees and old mines to find her mother. It’s not always easy but she doesn’t seem to have much trouble navigating the challenging natural obstacles in the middle of the night. She needs help at times but her movements aren’t always believable.
The final verdict:
This book offers a unique twist to familiar ghost stories. The wheelchair is an interesting addition and the origin of the demons isn’t what readers might expect. Overall, this is a fun adventure and I recommend you give it a shot.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 5 out of 5]

In his debut book, Netz creates a fantasy story with shadow demons, mountains that walk and talk, and two brave girls out to save the world. Oh, and one of them happens to get around in her wheelchair.

Ever since her father died a year ago, Jerry Blum has been on the move because her mother works as a hotel housekeeper in order to put a roof over their heads. One reason for this move? Jerry’s limited use of her legs due to a genetic disorder requires she must use a wheel chair to get around; she has been the victim of vicious peer bullying in school. She is now being homeschooled. When her mother lands a job at the rundown Slumbering Giant motel, Jerry’s life is about to change. Her mother returns from work with clothes covered in mud, lights blink off and on in the nearby woods at night, she listens to mysterious transmissions on her transistor radio, and she befriends Chapel Bell. A girl about Jerry’s age, Chapel lives in the same hotel and also experienced “othering” at school, as she is the only Black student. One night, Jerry’s mother doesn’t return from her evening “side-job” for the hotel. Jerry, her imaginary friend a dragon named Paul, and Chapel set out to track down Jerry’s mother – who went into the very woods she has been warned to stay away from – in order to bring her home.

Netz, who is a wheelchair user, has filled this curious story with plenty of action and reaction, twists and turns, and a heroine who doesn’t let her wheelchair keep her down. In fact, the wheelchair often becomes part of her “superpower” as she races down hillsides while evading the demons living in the woods. After a slow start building this world, it takes off with skirmishes with the beast-demons and step-by-step problem-solving by Jerry and Chapel on how to ultimately rid the woods of the monsters.

An excellent choice to see themselves or build empathy for people with disabilities, particularly for those who require a wheelchair.

Recommended for grades 4-6.

[SOYAMRG · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his debut book, Netz creates a fantasy story with shadow demons, mountains that walk and talk, and two brave girls out to save the world. Oh, and one of them happens to get around in her wheelchair.

Ever since her father died a year ago, Jerry Blum has been on the move because her mother works as a hotel housekeeper in order to put a roof over their heads. One reason for this move? Jerry’s limited use of her legs due to a genetic disorder requires she must use a wheel chair to get around; she has been the victim of vicious peer bullying in school. She is now being homeschooled. When her mother lands a job at the rundown Slumbering Giant motel, Jerry’s life is about to change. Her mother returns from work with clothes covered in mud, lights blink off and on in the nearby woods at night, she listens to mysterious transmissions on her transistor radio, and she befriends Chapel Bell. A girl about Jerry’s age, Chapel lives in the same hotel and also experienced “othering” at school, as she is the only Black student. One night, Jerry’s mother doesn’t return from her evening “side-job” for the hotel. Jerry, her imaginary friend a dragon named Paul, and Chapel set out to track down Jerry’s mother – who went into the very woods she has been warned to stay away from – in order to bring her home.

Netz, who is a wheelchair user, has filled this curious story with plenty of action and reaction, twists and turns, and a heroine who doesn’t let her wheelchair keep her down. In fact, the wheelchair often becomes part of her “superpower” as she races down hillsides while evading the demons living in the woods. After a slow start building this world, it takes off with skirmishes with the beast-demons and step-by-step problem-solving by Jerry and Chapel on how to ultimately rid the woods of the monsters.

An excellent choice to see themselves or build empathy for people with disabilities, particularly those who require a wheelchair.

Recommended for grades 4-6.

S.B.
Children's Literature Consultant

[Marc-Anthony Macon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endearing, clever, and with a nice balance between warmth and spookiness, Lumbering Giants packs as many punches as it does hugs, and without being pretentious or outré, manages to be wholly unique and surprising. The characters are nuanced and relatable, flawed in perfectly human ways, yet empowered with equally human talents and emerging author Mo Nets has done an impressive job of rendering them simple, and effable, and sympathetic on the surface, whilst allowing their complexities to coat the book's subtext with wondrously layered results: Jerry, with her matter-of-fact and sweet non-conformity, her (to her, anyway) embarrassingly pink wheelchair, her ostensibly imaginary pet dragon, is easy to love and cheer for; She wields self-deprecation and self-esteem clumsily, like a double-edged sword, and has had a lot more uncertainty in her life than stability. Chapel, who Jerry meets in the beginning of Lumbering Giants is one of those rare kids that some of us were lucky enough to know in our youth; Brazenly sharp and precocious, bold and headstrong, but also kind and funny, with a mind for justice and an intolerance for the unfair. The pair's interactions, dusted with the awkward inexperience of youth, are honest, cute, and somehow both wholesome and cool. Their blossoming friendship is a key ingredient to what makes Lumbering Giants instantly iconic, and it's a sign of an emerging author who has a cavalcade of fantastic characters waiting to be discovered. Moreover, Netz's prose is a delight; elegantly blunt, it brightens the senses and serves both story and character with aplomb. As this book just showed up on the scene, I don't want to give too much away about the story itself, or too many of the creatures and characters therein, as I so enjoyed discovering each new bit of funky forest lore as it arose. But ya know, there might be giants. Dig in and enjoy this'un, folks!

[Hannah Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book filled a void in my childhood reading.

Jerry is an amazing main character. On the surface, she is very different from most MCs- she's in a wheel chair, her dad died, she dropped out of school before sixth grade and she's homeless. But what actually stuck out was that she's deeply relatable and a very normal 11yo. Mo Netz did an incredible job with her voice- the feelings of wanting friends but being scarred by bullying; processing a loss but also wanting to live her life; being different but not wanting to be treated differently. The wheelchair is part of Jerry but it's not all of her- Jerry is a fully-fleshed person. And 11yo me connected so deeply and felt so seen.

The book is lightly spooky. Even though there's supernatural elements and thrilling bits, it wasn't super scary. This is a great starter book for kids who aren't sure how they feel about 'scary' books.

The writing did get choppy at some points. There were several scenes that I had to re-read a few times because details were glossed over, so it was hard to picture the scene and I'd miss elements (like which of the characters were present). It was annoying to me as an adult reader, but as a kid, I wouldn't have noticed. This is Netz's first novel, and I suspect we'll see the writing tighten up in Netz's next book. Not sure if he's planning on writing a second book, but if so, I'll definitely pick it up! Meanwhile, my 7yo is peering over my shoulder, asking if he can read this book next. Absolutely!

[Emily Rundle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 Stars for this beautiful middle grade debut about overcoming obstacles, being brave, and having the willingness to try again.

I loved how this book blended a variety of folklore to create its monsters, and how real the lovable characters fighting them felt to me as a reader. Oftentimes when reading middle grade books, I find that the characters feel more archetypal than they feel realistic, but this cast was diverse, nuanced, and reminded me of people that I have known in my life. Similarly books for middle grade readers have a tendency to get heavy handed with the directness that the prose provides the theme to the reader (which makes sense given that these books are part of a child's path toward comprehending more complex texts as they age) but here I felt that the author had a good sense of balance between directness and allowing the reader to come to understand the themes of the story through the plot.

The action was enjoyable, the universe was interesting, and overall this is a great spooky read. I would recommend this book for children who enjoy books like What Stays Buried, The Otherwoods, The Agony House, and general spooky stories.

I would also recommend this book for its diversity as it hits on many topics of disability, family types, race, gender expression, and religion in a way that is digestible for children. It would be a great addition to any library, classroom, or child's bookshelf.

[Lisa Houston · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is about an 11-year-old girl named Jerry Blum who moves around with her mom after her dad dies. They end up at a motel, which is supposed to be mysterious, but most of the time it just feels like another odd town with some blinking lights and a strange radio station. Jerry’s mom disappears a lot for reasons that aren’t explained until way later, and then one day she just doesn’t come back at all.

Jerry goes looking for her with the help of Paul, an imaginary tiny dragon, and Chapel, a kid who likes weird stuff. They eventually find out that Jerry’s mom has secretly been fighting demons in the woods, though the demons aren’t really typical demons, and the story gets a bit confusing there. Jerry takes a sword and her backpack to go into the woods, and the ending tries to tie everything together about the town’s legend and her family.

Overall, the book has a few interesting ideas, like the motel setting and the imaginary dragon, but it doesn’t feel especially exciting. Most of the twists are hinted at early on, and the story drags in several places. It’s not terrible, but it’s not particularly memorable either. It’s the kind of book you read once, shrug a little, and then put back on the shelf.

[Becky Ginther · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm usually reading a few different books at one time, and I typically pick what I consider a "background" book. This is an audiobook I listen to when I know I'm not going to be giving a book my full attention and want an easy story. They're often books that I suspect I may not love but want to give them a chance anyway.

Often this book is a middle grade novel that I'm not massively interested in, but I want to read to keep up with work and what the kids are reading. So I wasn't expecting much out of this title, but I enjoyed it more than I expected to.

The main character, Jerry, has moved into a motel with her mother. She's in a wheelchair but doesn't let that stop her. I really liked how the topic of her being in the chair was explored. It wasn't the main focus of the story, but it was definitely addressed and brought up a lot when relevant. I enjoyed Jerry's character, and really liked her friend Chapel.

Some of the supernatural stuff could have been a bit more developed or explained, but it actually worked better than many similar books. The writing was good and the characters were great. A fun one if you enjoy this genre!

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

First person POV lets us inside the life of Jerry (for Jerusha), a girl who hasn’t had it easy: her Dad died, a chronic genetic disorder put her in a wheelchair, mean kids forced her to give up on school. No accessible apartments puts them in motels, as her mom looks for work and a place for them to land. So: maid in a rundown Georgia motel, homeschooled—and with Paul, a tiny dragon Jerry imagined as a friend.
But there’s also aspiring ghost whisperer Chapel, whose house burned down, and who sees beyond the chair.
And why have people been disappearing in the woods lately?
Truly spooky woods, voices on a radio late at night , while her mom is “working“—What is her mom’s REAL job?
Action/adventure/demons with a wheelchair—a challenge, sometimes an asset, as when Chapel hops on for a ride.
Representation: details re: how people treat you, assume helpless, heroic/harmless/sweet/good, or just not a real person. Or faking it, because she *can* stand.
Not sure all of what happens in the woods would be possible with the chair (All Terrain wheelchair?) but hey, it’s demons and Guardians (❤️)

[TheNextGenLibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A spooky MG debut that made it onto the Texas Bluebonnet list for 25-26.
👩‍🦽‍➡️
Jerry and her mom move into a creepy motel at the edge of the woods as her mom starts a new job as a housekeeper. Mama says they’re done moving, but Jerry doesn’t believe it so she refuses to make friends with the girl she sees playing hopscotch outside. The only one she can count on besides her mom is her trusty sidekick and dragon, Paul. But when Mama goes missing from the work she’s doing at night, Jerry is determined to find her, no matter what.
👿
This had a lot going on. I enjoyed the disability rep for our main character, as well as the unhoused representation, but the story was too weird for me. It was trying to do too much at once with a shortened word count due to it being a middle grade book. Was it fantasy, mystery, horror, paranormal? I was never sure. Love that books like this exist, even if this one wasn’t for me personally.

CW: ableism, bullying, fire, grief, death of a parent (recounted), injury, chronic illness, child death, abandonment, death, kidnapping, classism, violence

[Ali · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thrilling action-adventure starring a character who happens to use a mobility aid (Publishing: more of this please!), and I absolutely loved it!! After Dad dies, Jerry, Mom, and an imaginary friend—a pocket-size dragon!—have finally found a place to call home at the Whispering Pines Motel. Jerry is homeschooling after horrific bullying of her use of a wheelchair, and Mom is set to work in housekeeping. But soon Mom leaves on a side project and disappears into the woods where several loggers have gone missing. Jerry and her new friend Chapel from the motel must investigate! Great mix of action and building suspense as they must figure out what is real, who to believe, and what Mom has been up to in order to save her. Also it is very funny with great lines like this: “You’re jealous of me for having a phone, but you have a sword?” Highly recommend! Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read early.

[Victoria Marshall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since the death of her father, 12-year-old Jerry and her mom have been moving from motel to motel so Jerry’s mom can work and Jerry can get around in her wheelchair. When they arrive at the Slumbering Giant Motel, Jerry’s mom says that they will being staying at the motel permanently. Jerry’s mom does housekeeping and “special work” for the motel’s manager. One day, Jerry’s mom doesn’t come home from her “special job” which sets off a wild adventure featuring Jerry, fellow motel-stayer and 12-year-old girl Chapel Bell, and a talking mini dragon named Paul.

Props to this book for being so inclusive with disabled characters and POC characters. Also, the story was very quick to read and held my attention throughout. I think it’s probably a young adult novel considering the whole lil random talking creature aspect. However, even my 22-year-old self enjoyed this little book. It’s not revolutionary by any means but it’s adorable and inclusive.

[Winnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading about 75% of this book, I decided to dnf it - I felt that I got mostly what I wanted out of it and had no desire to continue to the end.

It was a lighter read, and I found myself intrigued with the main character but ultimately I just felt like it lacked substance? I was also reading a couple other books alongside with this, and I was more enthralled with the other books and found myself not as excited to continue TLGWP.

It was wonderful to see disability representation and the friendship between our main character and the other character, Chapel, but with how short the chapters and overall book was, it didn't feel like a memorable read.

I've decided to give it a 4 stars because I don't quite want to rate it 3. Perhaps I just wasn't the targeted demographic for this book, but the front cover was absolutely gorgeous and I still appreciated the read as a palette cleanser.

[Debra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jerry and her mother move to yet another motel in a small town. They lost their home after Jerry's father died and have been in motels since where her mother can find work and Jerry can get around easily in her wheelchair. It is clear pretty early on that something is amiss in this place as the woods seem foreboding and the radio spontaneously speaks from between regular stations only at a certain time of night. When Jerry's Mom does not come home, she finds her father's Ren Faire sword and heads out to find her.

I am not a scary book reader, but I love books with savvy characters overcoming disability and was so smitten with the character that spews Yiddish, that I could not put it down. My students love scary books and though I know the scary level will be small for them, I want to see if the diversity of characters, the school issues, or the good vs evil qualities will hold their attention.

[D'Anne Mosby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jerry and her mother have been moving from place to place since her dad died. And now they’ve come to a hotel—-motel—called the Slumbering Giant. Her mom works as a housekeeper and Jerry does her homeschooling from the room. But her mom is being secretive. She’s been working nights—going into the woods, woods Jerry’s mom told her never to go into—dressed for work or cold or something. She returned home in the mornings dirty and tired. But one night, her mom doesn’t come back. And Jerry goes into the woods to search for her.

But this in itself is crazy bc Jerry is actually in a wheelchair. One of the reasons she homeschools is bc she’s been made fun of due to her disability and it’s kind of a big deal to need a wheel chair to get around. This is a story of Jerry makings real friend, losing her mom, looking for her mom—-and ghosts and dragons too.

[Keeley Malone · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lumbering Giants of Windy Pines is such a fun, cute, and creepy story following Jerry, her trusty wheelchair, and her imaginary dragon friend as she and her mother move into yet another motel after her father's passing. Jerry and her mom continually bounce from motel to motel as her mom finds odd jobs to keep food in their stomachs and a roof over their head, but there is something different about the Slumbering Giant motel and the surrounding woods.

After Jerry's mom disappears, Jerry's determined to find out what happened and save her. With the help of her imaginary dragon, Paul, and her new supernatural buff friend, Chapel, the friends venture into the demon-infested woods to save Jerry's mom.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since a bully pushed her down a staircase, wheelchair-using Jerry (age 11) doesn't mind being homeschooled, basically friendless (except for a dragon named Paul...that only she can see) and moving from motel to motel with her single mom. But when the pair settle into a new job at the Slumbering Giants motel in rural Georgia, Jerry stumbles upon a mystery involving a forbidden woods, a string of disappeared people, and cryptic radio messages. When Jerry's own mom goes missing, it's up to Jerry to get to the bottom of things--even if that means doing the scariest thing of all: making a friend her age who can help.

This was a gripping and empowering story, and a good listen on audio. Paul was especially endearing. Jerry is Jewish but the plot is more concerned with ableism.

[Glenna Coleman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jerry Blum and her mom have been moving around during the two years since her dad died. This time, her mother lands at job at the Lumbering Giants motel, but this place seems kind of sketchy to Jerry and weird things keep happening. Since Jerry has been needing a wheelchair to move around, she has found it difficult to make friends and with this move, is determined not to need friends. However, this changes when she meets another girl staying at the motel, Chapel turns out to be just who Jerry needed in her life, which helps when her imaginary dragon Paul turns out to be real and the shadows around the motel turn out to be demons, and, oh yes, her mother disappears one night when she is doing "an extra job" for her boss. The author does a great job of balancing the chilling, the fantastic, and the down-to-earth in this suitably creepy story.

[Amy Seufert · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author uses a wheelchair and so does our main character Jerry. I’m glad she finally made a friend at the motel. I also like the mom’s very mysterious job. Maybe that’s why they ended up at this particular motel, the mom was sought out maybe for this job. I enjoyed the eeriness of the story and the sense of fear just around the corner (or waking you up in the middle of the night)! The imaginary/real dragon friend is almost like a conscience, a comfort to have something bounce your ideas off of. There’s quite a few times Jerry and Chapel have to escape the demons, and a couple of big action scenes at the end. What a fun, action filled, friendship seeking story.