The Charlatan's Boy

As far back as he can remember, young Grady has tramped from village to village in the company of a huckster named Floyd. The pair make a scant living by perpetrating hoaxes on the good citizens of the Corenwald frontier-all at Grady's expense. After all, Floyd never gave a moment's consideration to Grady's feelings about being exhibited as "The Ugliest Boy in the World."

But when Floyd stages an elaborate plot to revive Corenwalders' belief in mythical swamp-dwellers known as the feechiefolk, he overshoots the mark: what starts as "The Great Feechie Scare" quickly becomes a widespread panic that threatens the whole countryside. Yet amid all the chaos, Grady discovers a truth that has evaded him all his life—and it will change his path forever.