Spirit Caller

No one ever said a guardian angel had to be human... After Jacob is attacked by a grizzly bear, everyone expects him to have nightmares. But it isn’t until seven years later, when his family moves to a tiny mountain town in Idaho, that the bear—along with other spirits both animal and human—begin to haunt him. Now, 13-year-old Jacob is not only trying to fit in at a new, tough school, he’s suddenly infused with the raw power of the grizzly who tormented him, and aware of every creature, down to the smallest ant, breathing inside his house. Hawks appear to guide him, bats lend him their invisibility, a man’s ghost emerges from the haunted woods that Jacob has feared ever since the bear attack. But mostly it’s the grizzly, stalking both Jacob’s dreams and the town, and finally impelling him, along with his unlikely new friends, to discover their own spirit guides and begin a journey . . . into the woods where everything started. On the hunt to kill, or save, a bear. With Spirit Caller, author Claire Dean returns to the rich, natural world created in her critically acclaimed novel, Girlwood, offering another magical story of the wonders that can happen when a teenager steps out the front door. Praise for Claire Dean's novels: "This is exactly the kind of book I would have loved as a teenager. It emphasizes the healing power of animals and nature which has helped so many young people cope with their problems all over the world. It will help young readers to understand that it is okay to be different. And that every individual can play a role in making this a better world." --Dr. Jane Goodall, DBE "[I]ntriguing first novel...Dean's celebration of the earthy, living magic that exists 'everywhere'...will lure YAs."--Booklist 02/15/08 Booklist, ALA "Polly's unflinching belief in beauty and the power…to change…destinies marries well with the optimistic tone of the novel." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books “A fine story of magic and fantasy evolves in a fine read for young adults who want uplifting adventure.” Midwest Book Review