Izzy at the End of the World
HarperCollins, 2023
Agent: Thao Le
Ever since Izzy Wilder’s mom died, she’s wanted life to feel normal. She plays video games with her little sister, helps her grandparents around the house, and takes care of her best dog, Akka. But losing her mom is far from normal, and for Izzy, who is autistic, it feels like the end of the world.
When mysterious lights flash across the mountains outside Izzy’s house one night, and suddenly everyone except her and Akka seem to have disappeared in an instant, Izzy is more alone than ever. But Izzy is a fighter and she won’t lose anyone else in her family, even if it means battling terrifying gray, ugly monsters and decoding cryptic messages that seem a lot like her mom talking to her from beyond the grave.
In the face of disaster, Izzy and Akka embark on an epic adventure filled with nail-biting suspense, unexpected allies, and life’s greatest mysteries as they uncover the true endurance of the human spirit and save the world.
Reviews:
"Reynolds twines earth-shattering emotions with a larger-than-life plot, balancing the intensity—including explorations of mental health and suicide—with humor." - Publisher's Weekly
"Izzy has autism and Raven has never felt like he fits in with “normal” kids for many reasons, so they bond quickly over having both felt sidelined and made smaller by the world—the fact that they are now the sole hope for the Earth is poetic and poignant at once. The pace is zippy fast, with Izzy careening toward her deepest hopes just as she is barreling down deserted roads in a truck she doesn’t know how to drive. Raven is there to help her slow down, to look at the clues from her mom and work to interpret them, and to guide them where they need to go next. The two make a memorable team, accompanied by the irrepressible Akka, and even if readers know that a happy(ish) ending is probable, the path toward it is sometimes wildly unexpected. " - Bulletin