Life is difficult on the island of Sanlagita To the south looms a vengeful mountain one that spits ash and threatens to collapse and bury the village at any moment And to the north the dangerous fog confuses the sailors who dare venture out looking for another more hospitable land The women live in fear of the deadly mender’s disease spread by the sharp mending needles they use to repair the men’s fishing nets And what does the future hold for the girls? Mending and more mending When twelve-year-old Lalani Sarita’s mother pricks her finger and falls ill Lalani must undertake an impossible task—leave Sanlagita and find the riches of legendary Mount Isa which towers on an island to the north But generations of men have died on the same quest—how can a timid twelve-year-old girl survive the epic tests of the archipalego? And how will she manage without Veyda her best friend? Newbery Medalist and New York Times bestseller Erin Entrada Kelly’s debut fantasy is a beautiful coming-of-age story about friendship courage and identity Inspired by Filipino folklore Lalani’s journey introduces readers to creatures like Bai-Vinca a vicious five-foot tropical bird Ditasa-Ulod who is half-woman half-eel the shape-shifting yootah and many others And of course readers will meet Lalani an ordinary girl on an extraordinary adventure and Veyda the best friend she leaves behind to ignite a revolution Perfect for fans of Lauren Wolk’s Beyond the Bright Sea and Grace Lin’s Where the Mountain Meets the Moon