About the book: The Inquisitor's Tale meets Impossible Creatures in this immersive middle grade fantasy adventure that follows a girl who must use her remarkable sense of smell to save the world from a terrifying plague.
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Our latest review, from Booklist! Read on:
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A TALE OF PLAGUES AND PERFUMES
Author: Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Pages: 352
Price (Hardcover): $18.99
Publication Date: 01/13/2026
ISBN (Hardcover): 9781250911087
The prospect of being labeled a Sinsory horrifies Nia, who has witnessed the brutal treatment such gifted individuals can be subjected to. Nevertheless, there’s no denying that her sense of smell is incredibly heightened. It’s Nia’s nose that eventually saves her from her life on the street, sniffing out a relative in Yerat who happily takes her in. Two devastating developments reverse her good fortune, however: a plague hits Yerat’s shore just as Nia is tapped to join the Cloister—the sequestered home of the Sinsories, who have historically developed cures for plagues. Halpern and Kujawinski create an adventurous riff on the witch fantasy, which sees those with special sense-based abilities and knowledge as targets for persecution, while also dipping into how power can be corrupted. Nia is a scrappy protagonist whose personality and impulses find balance with two new friends in the Cloister. The high-stakes plot moves at a quick clip, and evocative sensory language brings the world to life. A fun (and fragrant) underdog tale. — Julia Smith
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