Osmo Unknown and the Eightpenny Woods

In Catherynne M. Valente's imaginative middle grade fantasy, "Osmo Unknown," a young boy named Osmo sets out on an extraordinary quest after his mother accidentally kills a Quidnunk, an intelligent creature from the nearby forest. Bound by an ancient treaty, Osmo must journey to the mystical Eightpenny Woods to make amends and protect his town. Accompanied by a sarcastic half-badger and half-wombat named Bonk and an aloof pangolin girl called Never, Osmo’s adventure challenges his bravery and wit as he navigates the enchanted dangers of the realm of the dead.