The Stickleback Catchers

The Stickleback Catchers by Lisette Auton is a magical-realist middle-grade novel centered on Mimi, an imaginative girl caring for her beloved grandmother who is showing early signs of dementia. As cracks appear in their home and a mysterious black crow begins stalking her, Mimi teams up with friends Titch and Nusrat. The trio form the “Stickleback Catchers” and discover a magical stone by the river that opens a portal to a fantastical world filled with talking crows, secret constellations, and clues that may help save Mimi’s gran—and their own capacity to hope .

Key Features:

• Heartfelt Magical Realism: Blends everyday caring and loss with dreamlike fantasy to explore dementia, grief, friendship, and neurodiversity 

• Inclusive Representation: Features characters with disabilities (Mimi on crutches, Nusrat with chronic fatigue) and neurodivergent identities, presented as incidental and normalized 

• Richly Layered Themes: Engages emotional maturity and ethical growth as Mimi learns empathy, community acceptance, and resilience 

• Atmospheric Setting & Illustrations: Set in a close-knit community near a river, enhanced by subtle illustrations by Valentina Toro, pulling readers into both real and magical worlds 

• Critically Acclaimed: Praised by The Guardian as a “magic realist fight to save a beloved grandmother…” and named one of the Guardian’s Best Children’s Books of 2023