The Madman of Piney Woods (Scholastic Gold)

About this book

Benji and Red couldn't be more different. They aren't friends. They don't even live in the same town. But their fates are entwined. A chance meeting leads the boys to discover that they have more in common than meets the eye. Both of them have encountered a strange presence in the forest, watching them, tracking them. Could the Madman of Piney Woods be real?

In a tale brimming with intrigue and adventure, Christopher Paul Curtis returns to the vibrant world he brought to life in Elijah of Buxton. Here is another novel that will break your heart -- and expand it, too.

Reviews

"Curtis deftly makes what might have been simply heart-rending hopeful and redeeming instead... a pleasure to read." -- New York Times Book Review

* "A delight, featuring the author's obvious love for his characters, his skillful use of sentiment, and his often hyperbolic humor... quintessential Curtis." -- Booklist, starred review

* "A journey of revelation and insight... profoundly moving yet also at times very funny." -- Horn Book Magazine, starred review

* "Beautiful storytelling as only Curtis can do it." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* "Curtis masterfully interweaves goofy family vignettes, memorable characters, and thought-provoking themes into a page-turner with appeal to multiple audiences and tastes." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, starred review

"Poignant and powerful." -- Publishers Weekly