Helga the Fair Format: Hardback

A girl and her friends must save their village from a swarm of troublesome undead in this illustrated middle grade fantasy inspired by Icelandic sagas that’s an “adventurous tale with a heartwarming message of acceptance” (Kirkus Reviews) perfect for fans of Kelly Barnhill and Rick Riordan’s Magnus Chase.

Helga doesn’t know where she comes from. All she knows is life with Goat-Thigh, who found her as a baby in the highlands and gave her a home. Goat-Thigh used to be plagued with fits of berserker fury—a battle rage that made him dangerous to everyone around—until he took in Helga. Now, Helga won’t ever leave his side, even if their neighbors shun him.

But their lives are disrupted when a nearby haunted mountain cracks open and a mob of vengeful undead invades the land. In the chaos, Goat-Thigh’s berserker fits are triggered…and he’s unable to break free.

To save her adoptive father, Helga will need the help of some unlikely friends to banish the undead—including mischievous ox tails, rowdy house crashers, and frightening monsters with family secrets. Can Helga and her allies outsmart these specters and confront the deep wounds from their tangled pasts?

S. J. Taylor writes stories steeped in folklore and magic, where young protagonists tackle big adventures and bigger questions. Although she grew up in Arizona’s desert, her heart yearns for the Nordic lands. When she’s not writing, she can often be found knitting yet another sweater (sweater weather is the best weather). She lives with her family in Connecticut. Visit her at SJTaylorBooks.com.

Alla Khatkevich is an illustrator who was born in the town of Ulan-Ude, Russia. Every summer when she was a child, she would go camping with her father by the lake. Spending time fishing, picking berries, and sleeping in tents is when Alla first fell in love with fairy tales. She now creates magical illustrations for children’s books. She is the illustrator of the middle grade novel Helga the Fair by S. J. Taylor. Alla also loves to travel with her husband and is inspired by new places and cultures. Her adorable dog, who looks like a cheerful fox, is always next to her while she works.