The House in the Cerulean Sea

By-the-book caseworker investigates an anything-but-normal orphanage.

This fun and funny fantasy/romance with cinematic comedy styling is set in a world where the magical is segregated and magical children without family end up in carefully monitored orphanages. Linus Baker, a by-the-book caseworker, is assigned to investigate the most magical orphanage anyone’s ever seen. The inhabitants include a grumpy gnome, a teen who transforms into a Pomeranian when startled, a something (possibly jellyfish related?) that’s the sweetest little entity in the world who just wants to become a bellhop, a forest sprite, a wyvern, and 6-year-old, overly dramatic Lucy (probably literally a son of Satan). Linus is only interested in finding out that the children are safe and cared for by the mysterious head of the orphanage, Arthur Parnassus—and with such a powerful group that seems a little hard to believe. Fans of Gaiman, Pratchett, and McGuire in particular take note.