Author(s): Laura Ruby

Children's Books

The story takes place in a Manhattan where most people can fly, and where those who can't ("leadfoots") are despised. In this strange world, an ageless and eccentric Professor, with a flat full of pet cats and grass instead of hair, discovers the existence of a "Wall", a girl who can make herself invisible. This girl lives in an orphanage run by a plastic-surgery obsessed monster called Mrs Terwiliger. "Gurl", as Mrs Terwiliger has named her, becomes exploited by her guardian and then pursued by a gangster with a sidekick who has a zip across his face that hides something very ugly... Meanwhile, Gurl finds a cat that she names Noodle and befriends a young boy named "Bug", who dreams of flying and becoming a ÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂWingÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ. Together the children and the cat must flee, not only guardians and gangsters, but Punks and rat people, in order to find Gurl's father and unravel the mystery of the pen that can think for itselfÃÂâÃÂÃÂÃÂæ