Grumbones

by Jenn Bennett

Pixar’s Coco meets Neil Gaiman in this “terrifically eerie and atmospheric…a skillful mix of scary, sweet, and silly” ( Booklist ) middle grade novel about a girl whose quest to ensure her deceased grandmother is resting peacefully leads her to the magical and perilous kingdoms of the underworld.

Everyone in Whispering Pines knows their town is full of ghosts, but Helena Novak hasn’t seen a trace of her late grandmother, Babi. Helena and her best friend, Ben, spend most of their free time in the cemetery, yet no amount of gifts on Babi’s grave has lured her spirit out. But someone else has been paying attention.

Helena feels she’s being followed, and one day, all Babi’s grave gifts disappear. When Helena and Ben investigate, they find a secret door in a crypt that leads to the underworld itself. The sprawling subterranean world is a maze of eerie kingdoms, piercing castles, creepy forests, swirling seas, and crowded marketplaces full of unsavory characters. While the living can visit, if they get lost—or taken by the mysterious Nightmare—they won’t be able to leave. Despite the danger, Helena is set on finding her grandmother and seeing for herself that Babi is doing well in this strange place.

So when eccentric underworld guide Grumbones offers to help Helena and Ben find their way, they think it’s their lucky break. Sure, he looks like Santa’s skinny evil brother and some of the memento mori spilling out of his pockets look awfully familiar, but better a slightly suspicious helper than none at all…right?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Adventure, Childrens, Audiobook, Action

304 pages, Hardcover

First published August 1, 2023

About the author

Jenn Bennett is the author of over a dozen books for children and teens, including: ALEX, APPROXIMATELY; STARRY EYES; and GRUMBONES. She also writes romance and fantasy for adults. Her books have earned multiple starred reviews, been Goodreads Choice Award nominees, and have been included on annual Best Book lists for both Kirkus and Publishers Weekly. She lives in a haunted house near Birmingham with one husband and two dogs. Visit her at www.jennbennett.net.

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Reviews

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veteran YA author Jenn Bennett brings her talent to the middle grade audience with a truly creepy tale that puts best friends Helena and Ben into an underworld with a mixture of traditional mythological elements and so much that comes only from Bennett’s imagination. There are harpies, a three headed dog, a river, and water that causes forgetfulness but they have new names and are just a bit different than those from traditional Greek/Roman tales plus so much more that I kept turning pages, eagerly anticipating new twists to the usual Hades/underworld/afterlife. Helena is battling almost debilitating grief after her much loved Babi/grandmother dies and Ben is struggling to be there for his best friend even though he is feeling brushed off. The two decide to try to contact Babi and meet in the local cemetery only to be led into a war torn land Below by a talking vulture called Fizzle. From there, the quest to find Helena’s grandmother, return things Below to “normal,” and make it back Above in one piece. Excellent book for grades 5-8 with vivid settings, excellent descriptive language and creative characters that will thrill many. No profanity (although several characters are described as strong language) or sexual content. Violence is not excessive and involves some soul-sucking, odd animal attacks, and floods but no slash ‘em, gash ‘em bloodiness.

Thanks for the print arc, Simon & Schuster for Young Readers.

[Ivka_s_knihou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tohle bylo tak dobrý. 😍 Fakt doufám, že by tomu autorka mohla udělat pokračování.

[Ms. Yingling · Rating 3 out of 5]

Copy provided by Edelweiss Plus

Helena Novak lives in the misty seaside town of Forlorn, where her classmates are cruel and call her "Haunted Helena". Her father is a salvage diver, and her mother drives their tugboat, but her grandmother Babi has some dealings with the supernatural, which made her slightly suspect. She was Helena's favorite person, though, and since her death, Helena has been unhappy. She was sure she would be able to talk to her grandmother the way her grandmother talked to her late husband, who was killed fighting in Vietnam. Using a memento and a phrase, Morana was able to talk to her husband, but Helena hasn't had any luck. She's spent time with her friend Ben in the local cemetery, where Ms. Neja gives tours and runs a gift shop, but she still can't contact her grandmother. When some mementos are taken from Babi's grave site, Helena investigates and tries to get them back, but ends up traveling into Hereafter. Her grandmother is there, but off in the city, and there are various runmors about her dealings with the Rime Queen, who is terrorizing the place. There is danger at every turn, especially from ravenous Nightmares and vultures, but Helena and Ben are lucky enough to find a guide, Grumbones, who is willing to work for a good review. He helps them make their way across the city, gives them tips on fighting the various forces of evil, and sheds some light on Babi's background. Will Helena be able to finally speak to her much beloved Babi and return to Forlorn, or will she and Ben get stuck in the troubled underworld of Hereafter?
Strengths: Helena's desire to connect with her recently deceased Babi was a little bit like Yardley's in Grant's A Green Velvet Secret, but instead of being based in the real world, the story slips into a classic fantasy adventure. Babi's past is fascinating, and there are lots of secrets that Helena didn't know about her family. Grumbones is a great guide, and there's quite a twist about his identity that I don't want to ruin. This mix of elements made for a fresh, new type of story with unusual characters.
Weaknesses: If there are so many ghosts in Forlorn, it didn't make a lot of sense for Helena's classmates to be as mean to her as they were, even if she did hang out a lot in the cemetery.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like their fantasy books to have a darker feel to them, like Gale's The Wizard's Dog mixed with Snicket's All the Wrong Questions series with a little of Gordon and Williams' Tunnels thrown in. It definitely felt more like a fantasy adventure title than a spooky/horror title.

[happily_reader_after · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't know until after I started listening to this that it's a middle grade novel that I thought was YA ha ha. At first I grumbled that it was going to be stupid, but had to keep reading for book club. HOWEVER it ended up being really interesting. So many different characters and creatures, and a fast moving plot that pulled me along with it. It wasn't the best book I've read in the last few months or anything, but it kept my attention and I finished it quickly.

[c · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review copy courtesy of Simon & Schuster Young Readers

A creepy must buy for collections where horror and fantasy is popular, this middle grade take on “Beetlejuice” is elaborate and a fun read. Set in the underworld, this is a sprawling fantasy that has a lot of action, characters, and mythology. Curious if there will be more in the series!

[Angela Sandoval · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a creepy underworld tale full of adventure, action, and mystery. And you'll meet a few mythological creatures along the way, too. I will definitely recommend this one to our middle school readers!

[Kirsten Fazzino · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book with great characters. Much more Coco inspired than I realized it would be. Some funny lines and good descriptions just a little slow in some parts. I like all Jenn Bennett YA books even the ones for a little younger. 3.5

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

This underworld adventure was created by a local author!

[Kristi Housman Confessions of a YA Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

RTC

[Words, Images, & Worlds · Rating 5 out of 5]

An atmospheric and enjoyable story for middle grades readers.

[Bee]

DNF around 60% I don’t know why but I just couldn’t get myself to read more which is absurd. ABSURD I SAY! I like the characters, the humor, the world. It just wouldn’t click for me. Darn it.

[Ashley Holloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was seriously delightful! Definitely deserves a larger audience.

[Shane · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun middle grade book. Would’ve enjoyed an earlier introduction to the big bad guy, but I suppose it would’ve ruined the mystery. Very fun!

[Leah Negri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing wrong with it - it just wasn’t really for me. Although after a slow start it did pick up some.

[Rachel Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helena was VERY annoying. She made terrible decisions. This book was meh.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting middle grade book that, while I could see some of the twists, had a unique story that kept me hooked. And it was a quick read!

[Beth Horn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute. The main character made awful decisions and wasn't super likable.

[Nicole Aka Grave doll · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun last book of the summer listening with my neice who left to go home to start school.