Disappearing Act

An unseen man they call the Toad is stalking twelve-year-old Kevin and his older sister, Holly. They flee town in Holly's beat-up old car, driving west until they reach the Pacific Ocean. They change their names and attempt to hide in plain sight as street performers in Venice, California. But have they really eluded the Toad?

From the opening sentence, this page-turner of a novel is alive with surprise twists and suspense. Imagine a buried city made entirely of gold! Watch big Bumpy Rhoades juggle twenty-pound watermelons on the boardwalk. Meet Daisy, an aspiring artist with braces on her teeth who helps Kevin become a beachside fortune-teller. And notice the man in the white suit? Is he the Toad?

Here is Newbery Medalist and former professional magician Sid Fleischman doing what he does best - spinning a tale with style, comic touches, and a double-barreled theme lurking behind the laughter.