Zia is a master of words and loves putting them together in funny and inventive ways. One thing she’s not good at, though, is finding the real words for the dark, empty, sinking, scary feeling she’s been experiencing lately. She’s labeled it the Shadoom, but she doesn’t tell anyone about it apart from her new friend Alice. One day, Zia finds a dictionary and a special eraser that lets her remove any word that makes her uncomfortable from the book (and the whole world). What will happen when she tries to erase the biggest words—ones we might still need—like fear? Fans of Corey Ann Haydu’s Eventown will appreciate Zia’s predicament. A funny, heartfelt, and thought-provoking look at understanding our most raw feelings and how we can tell others about them. Ages 8 and up.
