When fifteen-year-old Thaddeus Cane moves to the town of Superstition, he quickly realizes the place lives up to its name when he meets and falls in love with Teofil, the garden gnome next door. But Teofil isn’t the only magical being in Superstition, and Thaddeus will encounter witches, wizards, and even dragons as he embarks on a dangerous journey—and the adventure of a lifetime. Along the way, he’ll uncover family secrets and learn that there’s much more to him than he ever imagined.
Publisher’s Description:
Thaddeus Cane and his father have moved thirty-two times in all of Thaddeus’s fifteen years. Every time his father uproots them without a reason, it leaves Thaddeus friendless once again. Superstition is the town they’ve settled in this time, and despite its name, it seems like every other little town, except for one thing.
From the window of his bedroom, Thaddeus can look into their neighbor’s back yard. And every night, after dark, he sees a guy his own age putter around in the immaculately maintained garden. When Thaddeus visits his neighbor the crush already blooming underneath surfaces, and Teofil, the midnight gardener, reveals he’s actually a garden gnome. When Thaddeus’s father finds out, more secrets are exposed, and Thaddeus embarks on the adventure of a lifetime.
Genre: Fantasy
Representation:
Gender:
Cis boys: Thaddeus Cane, Teofil Rhododendron (species: Garden Gnome)
Sexuality:
Gay: Thaddeus Cane, Teofil Rhododendron
Romantic Orientation:
Homoromantic: Thaddeus Cane, Teofil Rhododendron
Race/Ethnicity:
White: Thaddeus Cane
Location: Unspecified mountainous region of the US
Ownvoices: gay author writing gay characters