ATTACK OF THE 50 FOOT WALLFLOWER

In a world where 1950s matinee horror films are as real as Wonder bread, Phoebe Lane and her mother have a trick for avoiding the monsters.

Before 15-year-old Phoebe was born, her mother, Loretta, was an actress, an actress who caught the eye of a giant ape, Ook. That ended at the top of a tall building. Now, mother and daughter work their way across the country with a carnival, making a little money off Loretta’s encounter with Ook. They keep their eyes on Daddy, an invisible (to others) giant man in the sky, because his gaze foretells the coming of a Shiver—violent incidents such as pink goo’s taking over a diner or the appearance of a giant, radiated Rhedosaurus. Phoebe and her mother vamoose if the man in the sky, who Phoebe learns is her father, looks their way. She just wants to be a normal ’50s teenager, but that seems less likely when her mother vanishes and the police are no help. Phoebe’s life takes a turn for the weirder when her search for mom turns up a half sister who knows the truth about Daddy and the fate of their black-and-white world. Phoebe is a plucky, snarky heroine, and her fantastic adventure will entertain teens, though they may miss topical references and clues to what’s really going on. Major characters are white.

A fluffy romp with heart and action.