The Book
After her husband's passing, and the mysterious disappearance of her only son, Tova begins work as the night shift cleaner at the local aquarium. She becomes acquainted with each of the various marine species, though forms a special friendship with Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus. Marcellus must help Tova learn what happened the night Tova's son disappeared before it's too late.
Prepare to fall in love with Van Pelt's Remarkably Bright Creatures, a heartwarming story of family, loss, and community.
Visit the Events page to pre-register for the author event on
Tuesday, March 14, 2023.
"Remarkably Bright Creatures [is] an ultimately feel-good but deceptively sensitive debut about what it feels like to have love taken from you, only to find it again in the most unexpected places. . . . Memorable and tender." - Washington Post
"Shelby Van Pelt has done the impossible. She's creatred a perfect story with imperfect characters, that is so heartwarming, so mysterious, and so completely absorbing, you won't be ablet o put it down because when you're not reading this book you'll be hugging it." - Jamie Ford, Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet,
"As Van Pelt's zippy, fun-to-follow prose engages at every turn, readers will find themselves rooting for the many characters, hoping that they'll find whatever it is they seek. Each character is profoundly human, with flaws and eccentricities crafted with care. But what makes Van Pelt's novel most charming and joyful is the tender friendship between species, and the ways Tova and Marcellus make each other ever more remarkable and bright." -- BookPage
The Author
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, she’s now missing the mountains in the Chicago area with her husband and two children.
