The Search for Wondla - by Tony Diterlizzi

About the Book

A Caldecott Honor winner begins a new series about a young girl forced to flee from her underground home with a treasured item--a scrap of cardboard on which is depicted a young girl, an adult, and a robot, with the word, "WondLa." Illustrations.

Book Synopsis

Now an animated series coming to Apple TV+ on June 28th!

Celebrate the 10th anniversary of Tony DiTerlizzi's New York Times bestselling, richly illustrated The Search for Wondla series with this first installment of the modern classic space-age adventure featuring an all-new look.

When a marauder destroys the underground sanctuary that Eva Nine was raised in by the robot Muthr, the twelve-year-old girl is forced to flee aboveground. Eva Nine is searching for anyone else like her: She knows that other humans exist because of an item she treasures--a scrap of cardboard on which is depicted a young girl, an adult, and a robot, with the strange word, "WondLa." Can she find where she belongs?

Review Quotes

* "The abundant illustrations, drawn in a flat, two-tone style, are lush and enhance readers' understanding of this unique universe...DiTerlizzi is pushing the envelope in his latest work, nearly creating a new format that combines a traditional novel with a graphic novel and with the interactivity of the computer. Yet, beneath this impressive package lies a theme readers will easily relate to: the need to belong, to connect, to figure out one's place in the world. The novel's ending is a stunning shocker that will leave kids frantically awaiting the next installment."--"School Library Journal", starred review

"I was knocked out by Tony DiTerlizzi's novel... everything is described so thoroughly and fully that I felt like I was there. I think Tony's extraordinary visual sense comes though here with words. Spiderwick was amazing; this goes so much further."-"- "Joan Kindig, Associate Professor at James Madison University

"Imaginative, accessible technologies combine with fanciful creatures to create perpetual wonder in this fast-moving narrative.""--BCCB"

"Reminiscent of Arthur C. Clarke."--"New York Times Book Review"

"There is...wonder aplenty in this tense, chase-filled journey to engage young readers, plus twists for adult fans of Twilight Zone-styled stories. The bond between Eva and her friends is well drawn, and Otto, happily, is more than just a human in alien form. DiTerlizzi's evocative, detailed pen illustrations, which have a retro Star Wars vibe, and interactive maps online, unlocked via Augmented Reality, contribute to a sense of adventure as Eva dives into the unknown."--"Publisher's Weekly"

About the Author

#1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi has been creating children's books for over twenty years. From fanciful picture books like The Spider & the Fly to chapter book series like the Search for WondLa, DiTerlizzi imbues his stories with a rich imagination. With Holly Black, he created the middle grade series the Spiderwick Chronicles, which has sold 20 million copies, been adapted into a feature film, and been translated in over thirty countries. The Norman Rockwell Museum's exhibition "Never Abandon Imagination" featured artwork from the beginning of DiTerlizzi's career as a contributing artist for Dungeons & Dragons and broke attendance records. He has been featured in Time magazine and USA TODAY and on CNN, PBS, NPR, the BBC, and the Today show.