Strange Animals

by Jarod K. Anderson

by Jarod K. Anderson An ordinary man discovers a hidden world of supernatural creatures—and an unexpected home—in this enchanting contemporary fantasy debut. Green trips on the curb, falls flat into the street, and sees the city bus speeding toward him. And then . . . blink. He’s back on the curb, miraculously still alive. A five-foot-tall crow watches him from atop a nearby sign, somehow unseen by the rushing crowd of morning commuters. Desperate for answers and beset by more visions of impossible creatures, Green finds his way to a remote campsite in the Appalachian Mountains, where he meets a centuries-old teacher and begins an apprenticeship unlike anything he could imagine. Under his new mentor’s grouchy tutelage, Green studies the time-bending rag moth, the glass fawn, and the menacing horned wolf. He begins to see past hidden nature’s terrors and glimpse its beauty, all while befriending fellow misfits—and finding connection and community. Along the way come clues about the forces that set him on this path—and, most incredibly, a sense of purpose and fulfillment like nothing he’s felt before. But Green’s new happiness promises to be short-lived, because alongside these marvels lurks a deadly threat to this place he’s already come to love. Creepy, cozy, and beautiful, Strange Animals is a fantasy about home, belonging, and the fearfully wondrous nature all around us. Hardcover

Unknown Binding

About the author

Jarod K. Anderson is a writer and poet from Ohio. He has published three books of nature poetry as well as the memoir Something in the Woods Loves You, about his lifelong struggle with depression and the healing power of the natural world. A starred review from Kirkus praised his memoir as, "a brilliantly poignant exploration of nature, masculinity, and the struggles of depression." His contemporary fantasy novel Strange Animals was called "a wholly captivating tale of magic and nature" by Publishers Weekly. Jarod's work has been featured in diverse places such as Asimov's, The Sun Magazine, Literary Hub, musical adaptations performed at Carnegie Hall, and strangely enough on Patagonia brand clothing. He has been a featured guest, workshop teacher, and speaker for organizations including Georgetown University's Earth Commons program and The Henry David Thoreau Foundation.