The Puzzling Fate of Millicent Graves - by Dora M Mitchell

About the Book

When Millicent Graves uncovers an attic packed with jigsaw puzzles that symbolize people's lives, her perfectionist tendencies lead her to rearrange them, hoping to improve her family and friends' lives-- with disastrous results.

Book Synopsis

Twelve-year-old Millicent Graves discovers she can alter the personalities of her friends and family with hilarious reality-warping results in this extra-magical middle grade graphic novel. Perfect for fans of The Witches of Brooklyn.

Twelve-year-old Millicent Grave's life is a mess. After her mom sank all their money into a fancy fish tank business, her family had to move to an apartment with three creepy landladies.

Then fate (or, actually, the Fates) leads Millie to discover a room full of jigsaw puzzles that give her the power to fix the imperfections in everyone she knows. Soon, her sister is sensible instead of gross, and her mom is successful instead of unlucky. Dad still needs some work, and her new neighbor and classmate Sam Smolt is still annoying--but he's kind of becoming her best friend anyway.

And if there are mysterious new cracks in the universe in the exact shape of those puzzle pieces, that's not a problem, right? It's not like all of reality is about to unravel. Right? . . . Right?

Review Quotes

"A humorous parable about embracing life's imperfections that's sure to strike a chord with readers."--Kirkus

"In this thought-provoking graphic novel debut...a lightly eerie Tim Burton feel that emanates absurdity and warmth in equal measure...culminates in an enchanting, emotionally resonant modern fairy tale."--Publisher's Weekly

"Middle school angst, mythology, and magic make for a captivating read."--SLJ

About the Author

Dora M. Mitchell is a writer and illustrator living in a small Northern California town that dates back to the Gold Rush. She has always had a fascination with abandoned places, dark woods, and all things mysterious and otherworldly. You can find her online at doramitchell.com and on instagram @inkybeast.