By Meg Wolitzer and Charlie Panek
New York: Dutton Children's Books, 2026. Fiction. 212 pgs.
Every July, Felix and his family abandon their cramped apartment in New York for Blissfield, Massachusetts. Ordinarily, Felix and his younger brother Miles participate in a summer camp for gifted kids. But this year, there's no camp for Felix, and he's already dreading a summer with nothing to do in the middle of nowhere. Reluctantly, Felix befriends his 11-year-old neighbor named Marigold Tanizaki-Weathers. With her multicolored hair and combat boots, Marigold isn't a typical friend for Felix, but before long they stumble on a field recorder in Felix's closet and begin a wild scavenger hunt around town. The puzzles, all sound based, start simple but quickly reveal deeper, cryptic messages. Could they be meant for Felix in particular? Could they somehow be connected to his older brother Dylan, whose relationship with Felix is strained?
This book is an audio-first recommendation. Written by established novelist Meg Wolitzer and her son Charlie, a sound engineer, the audiobook is enriched by audio samples that match the aural clues from Felix and Marigold's scavenger hunt. This, coupled with lots of back matter about starting your own found sound journey, will certainly have young readers asking for their own field recorders. Despite the gimmick of the audiobook, this is also a story with a lot of heart behind it. Readers will recognize themselves in Felix - a kid stuck between a rebellious older brother and a genius younger one. The conclusion offers a well-earned resolution for Felix, who learns to connect to people and the world around him, and a touching conclusion for Felix and his strained family relationship.
Comments