The Book of Wondrous Possibilities by Deborah Abela

"It's a grimorie ... some grimoires are believed to be magic ... This is a story grimorie. With this book, when a story is read by the person it was written for, it comes true."

The opening scene of this book is filled with tension - a tension that is sustained right through the whole book - it's a thrilling read. 

Arlo lives in an old, messy bookshop with this Uncle Avery. Arlo lives a quiet life reading books from the shop with his pet mouse Herbert for company. Then, as the story opens a young girl bursts into the shop. She is in a panic because someone is trying to catch and hurt her.  Arlo only just manages to hide the girl, Lisette, before the evil Silas Gray bursts into the shop. He wants the book that Lisette has bought for Arlo - it contains a story written for Arlo by his dead mother. Someone has sent Silas. They want this book. Silas is the messenger but who wants Le Livre des Possibilities Merveilleuses (The book of Wondrous Possibilties) and why? And what does Arlo need to discover from reading the story written by his precious mother?

There are some wonderful rich words in this book: nefarious; capacious; perilous; boisterous; precarious; treacherous; charismatic; gormless; and boorish.

Deborah Abela creates wonderful character descriptions:

Silas "a large man with a scar down his cheek and a black cap pulled low."

Marcellus - Lisette says: "He's over two metres tall, has black eyes that drill into your soul and a heart shrivelled to the size of a pea." Then Arlo sees the man and says: "He was elegant and poised, from his polished shoes to his perfectly styled salt and pepper hair."

Viola "Her black curls were held back by a red ribbon and her olive skin was so luminescent it glowed. Arlo thought she looked more like a doll that a real girl." 

Benedict "a young man with a wave of shiny hair entered. He wore a black skivvy and the grumpy scowl of someone who'd been rudely interrupted."  (Think about the meaning behind his name)

I am going to make a bold call and say this book is sure to be a 2023 CBCA Younger Readers Notable title and I would not be surprised to see it short-listed. 

Grab this book as soon as you can (pr-order a copy today), make a banana cake and a cup of tea and set aside an afternoon for a delicious reading experience.  Thanks to Beachside Bookshop for my advance reader copy. 

Have you ever read a book that continued to linger with you decades later. For me one of those titles is an older book by Deborah Abela - The remarkable Secret of Aurelie Bonhoffen which I first read in 2010. Deborah Abela's newest title - The Book of Wondrous Possibilites (due for publication 2nd August, 2022) has a similar feel and appeal. If you can find Aurelie Bonhoffen it would make a terrific companion read.