1st Ballantine Books trade ed.

Anne Tyler

In the small town of Larksville, the Pike family seems permanently out of sync with the world around them—especially ten-year-old Janie Rose Pike, whose stubborn strength and vivid imagination refuse to fit the town’s expectations. As everyday routines and quiet disappointments press in, Janie’s search for meaning turns ordinary moments into a kind of private adventure, testing the boundaries of family, belonging, and change. With Anne Tyler’s signature warmth and wry observational eye, this seemingly slight story reveals how love, miscommunication, and small acts of courage can reshape a household from the inside out. At its heart, it’s a tender coming-of-age tale about resilience and the surprising ways a community—and a family—learn to see one another.