In the utopian city of Lucille, monsters—people who committed crimes, including those whose crimes had gone unpunished—were banished by angels years ago. In Lucille, where religion is a thing of the past, “angels” are people. It was the angels who banned weapons, did the hard work of creating a safe, peaceful community, and saw that justice was served. Jam, a Black, transgender, selectively nonverbal teenager, has grown up without monsters. But when she accidentally drips blood on her mother’s painting of a horned, fur- and feather- covered creature, it comes to frightening, three-dimensional life. Pet, as it wants to be known, announces that it has come to Jam’s world to hunt a monster, a person who has committed an unspeakable crime and has been living, unnoticed, amongst the people of Lucille—living, in fact, in Jam’s best friend’s home. Jam and Pet’s investigation inspires thoughtful discussion of complex questions: What actions should be taken when a “monster” is discovered? Is there such a thing as a “good” or “evil” person? Although at times predictable, this novel brilliantly addresses the unfortunate reality that people tend to look away from difficult or painful truths, even when they are right in front of their eyes. (Age 12 and older)

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST • STONEWALL BOOK AWARD WINNER • ONE OF TIME MAGAZINE’S 100 BEST YA BOOKS OF ALL TIME

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR by The New York Times • Time • Buzzfeed • NPR • New York Public Library • Publishers Weekly • School Library Journal

A genre-defying novel from the award-winning author NPR describes as “like [Madeline] L’Engle…glorious.” A singular book that explores themes of identity and justice. Pet is here to hunt a monster. Are you brave enough to look?

There are no monsters anymore, or so the children in the city of Lucille are taught. Jam and her best friend, Redemption, have grown up with this lesson all their life. But when Jam meets Pet, a creature made of horns and colors and claws, who emerges from one of her mother's paintings and a drop of Jam's blood, she must reconsider what she's been told. Pet has come to hunt a monster, and the shadow of something grim lurks in Redemption's house. Jam must fight not only to protect her best friend, but also to uncover the truth, and the answer to the question--How do you save the world from monsters if no one will admit they exist?

A riveting and timely young adult debut novel that asks difficult questions about what choices you can make when the society around you is in denial. 

"[A] beautiful, genre-expanding debut" –The New York Times

"The word hype was invented to describe books like this." –Refinery29