| Tess is a “switcher”, a person who is able to physically change herself into any kind of animal while retaining most of her human mentality. While in animal form, she does find herself conforming to some animal habits; for example, when a squirrel, she discovers an obsession with storing nuts for the winter, despite knowing she won't be in squirrel form to collect in the frosty months.
Tess's ability is inborn. There are no magic spells, no curses involved. She has simply discovered the talent at an early age and continued to use it - in private - ever since. The story opens as she encounters, for the first time, another switcher. To her dismay, she learns that the ability to switch will end on her fifteenth birthday. Kevin is a strange boy, who admits to being estranged from his family and to spending most of his life as a rat. He faces his imminent birthday with dismay, for he will be forced to choose a form - human or animal - and stick to it forever. The two switchers get involved in a quest of world-shaking consequences as a new ice age is about to descend on Earth. Kevin's deadline adds to the suspense as it seems he might be trapped forever in animal shape at the icy Pole. | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book - suspenseful (sophisticated fear) FANTASY or SCIENCE FICTION? - fantasy world/fantasy past Magical Beings/Mental/Magical/Powers Yes magical powers: Is this an adult or child's book? - Kid's book (ages 7-14) Descript. of chases or violence - 10 % planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40 % Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40 % Descript. of society, phenomena (tech), places - 10 % Main Character Identity: - Female Profession/status: Age: - a kid If magical mental powers: - can change shapes Main Adversary Identity: - magical being Age: - long-lived adults Has magical powers? Yes Magical/mental powers of main antagonist: - fire/thunder/weather cntrl How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - almost none How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting Earth setting: - 20th century Takes place on Earth? Yes Writing Style Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment How much dialogue? - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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