Who is Gretchen Oyster? The discovery of a series of mysterious handmade postcards distracts Hartley from trouble at home. A poignant novel for fans of Rebecca Stead and Holly Goldberg Sloan.

Hartley Staples, near-graduate of middle school, is grappling with the fact that his older brother has run away from home, when he finds a handmade postcard that fascinates him. And soon he spots another. Despite his losing interest in pretty much everything since Jackson ran away, Hartley finds himself searching for cards in his small town at every opportunity, ignoring other responsibilities, namely choosing a topic for his final project. Who is G.O. and why are they scattering cards about the town? One of the New York Public Library's Best Books for Kids 2019
One of Quill And Quire’s 2019 Books of the Year for Young People
One of the Globe and Mail’s 100 Books that Shaped 2019
Honorable mention for the Ontario Library Association’s 2019 Top Ten Titles


PRAISE FOR The Collected Works of Gretchen Oyster:

“[A] funny, beautifully illustrated coming-of-age novel that will leave young readers thinking about where art begins and what it can do to change lives.” --CM Magazine

"A charmingly eccentric tale of briefly intersecting lives making meaning from art." --Kirkus Reviews

“Filled with beautiful art and poignant prose, Cary Fagan’s latest middle grade novel is funny and touching in equal measure.” --BookPage

“The Collected Works of Gretchen Oyster is a delightfully quirky novel about facing our personal darkness.” --Resource Links

“Fagan . . . tells a moving story about the happiness found in small moments and art’s power to connect people.” --Publishers Weekly