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Outside Nowhere
This middle grade novel follows one boy's summer adventure at a peculiar farm in the middle of nowhere.
Charming and funny, Parker Kelbrook can wriggle out of anything he doesn’t want to do. So when he’s forced to take a job at the local pool—a threat to his beach-filled summer plans—he comes up with the perfect prank to get himself fired.
Once Parker’s father catches wind of his latest scheme, he decides enough is enough, and Parker is sent halfway across the country to work on a farm alongside five other kids who aren't his biggest fans. As Parker learns to roll up his sleeves and keep his head down, strange things start happening. And after he awakens one morning to find a seventeen-hundred-pound dairy cow on the roof of a barn, he suspects that something magical and mysterious is growing in the farm’s fields.
Charming and funny, Parker Kelbrook can wriggle out of anything he doesn’t want to do. So when he’s forced to take a job at the local pool—a threat to his beach-filled summer plans—he comes up with the perfect prank to get himself fired.
Once Parker’s father catches wind of his latest scheme, he decides enough is enough, and Parker is sent halfway across the country to work on a farm alongside five other kids who aren't his biggest fans. As Parker learns to roll up his sleeves and keep his head down, strange things start happening. And after he awakens one morning to find a seventeen-hundred-pound dairy cow on the roof of a barn, he suspects that something magical and mysterious is growing in the farm’s fields.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published October 18, 2022
6 people are currently reading
2874 people want to read
About the author
Adam Borba
3 books28 followersADAM BORBA is the author of THIS AGAIN?, OUTSIDE NOWHERE, and THE MIDNIGHT BRIGADE. When he’s not writing, he develops and produces movies like PETE'S DRAGON and PETER PAN & WENDY with his friends. He is a graduate of Palm Springs High School, the University of Southern California, and the William Morris Agency mailroom. Adam lives in California with his family and can be found on the internet at adamborba.com
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 43 reviews
September 26, 2022
I was up until 5 a.m reading Outside Nowhere! I fussed over writing a review of this book because I could not do it justice. Later in the morning, I started and the motel WiFi disconnected! I am now trying again, all of my review is gone. Tryng again.
Loving the book cover with cow flying over the farm house, I entered and won an Advance Copy from Little Brown YR. I now want to buy a finished copy for my grandson.
Parker Kenbrook,in the tale is eleven years, witty, quirky and funny like my grandson. It is time for summer vacation and he has been forced into a summer job as a junior lifeguard. Probably because even though he seems to be a polite boy, he has been on a prank pulling binge. Before he was to report to his job,very early in the morning, he poured a large quantity of Purple Madness Fruit Punch Mix and damage the pool to the tune of $3,000! I know that my grandson would never do that!
Parker is under the charge of Ms.Eleanor Birdseye and she has him on a train to an unusual farm. I thought it odd that Ms Birdseye was 77 and I am 76. Molly, the young girl who went to pick him up from the train depot told him that "Hope and Second Chances" to his question of what was being farmed there.
I adored this book and when I do that, I hug it. Magical Realism, brillant writting and bushels of inspiration are in this book. I firmly believe the author is a creative genius.
Loving the book cover with cow flying over the farm house, I entered and won an Advance Copy from Little Brown YR. I now want to buy a finished copy for my grandson.
Parker Kenbrook,in the tale is eleven years, witty, quirky and funny like my grandson. It is time for summer vacation and he has been forced into a summer job as a junior lifeguard. Probably because even though he seems to be a polite boy, he has been on a prank pulling binge. Before he was to report to his job,very early in the morning, he poured a large quantity of Purple Madness Fruit Punch Mix and damage the pool to the tune of $3,000! I know that my grandson would never do that!
Parker is under the charge of Ms.Eleanor Birdseye and she has him on a train to an unusual farm. I thought it odd that Ms Birdseye was 77 and I am 76. Molly, the young girl who went to pick him up from the train depot told him that "Hope and Second Chances" to his question of what was being farmed there.
I adored this book and when I do that, I hug it. Magical Realism, brillant writting and bushels of inspiration are in this book. I firmly believe the author is a creative genius.
May 26, 2022
One of the best middle-grade books I’ve read in a while! It finds that perfect alchemy of weird, wondrous, and heart-warming.
August 18, 2022
I got this book from a friend of a friend and absolutely loved it. It's about a funny, slacker kid that gets sent to a farm in the middle of nowhere and before long magical things start happening. The timeless setting was a welcome touch. I try to read the same books as my daughter as much as I can so we can talk about them. It's rare that we read something that I legitimately like. This one is special.
February 2, 2023
“Embrace the extraordinary.”
Outside Nowhere is a quiet, quirky gem full of pure storytelling magic! It’s one of those books that appears straight forward and simple, but then takes a turn to... You have to see it to believe it. :)
Parker, our trouble-making charmer, is sent off to a farm in the middle of nowhere. A farm where magic grows in the ground and in the people that tend to the land. I don’t want to say too much. There are surprises you need to see and learn for yourself along the way. I will say I learned a lot from Parker’s story. Everything from persistence to humility to healing. One of my favorite takeaways was…
“Don’t forget to look up every once in a while.”
READ THIS BOOK. It’s an unforgettable story.
August 9, 2022
This book was utter magic. It brought me back to my childhood and I can not express how happy I was as a parent to read something that didn't have kids playing with phones or screens. Bonus points: both of my kids loved it also. Will be recommending this one for a while.
October 18, 2023
Nominated for 2023 Cybils Elementary / Middle Grade Speculative Fiction
I'm really torn about this book. I loved the tone and how well Borba balanced the protagonist's irritating behavior and his basic goodness. I like the premise and the approach, and the characters were great - from Parker to Molly and Chet, Walter and the other boys, to Farmer and the people back home. The humor was good, the quirkiness just right, and the magic beautifully integrated.
BUT. I was troubled by how often Parker was penalized for not knowing things and how the author seemed to collude with this. From the moment he stumbled off the train without his luggage he's made to feel like an idiot for not figuring out how this new mode of travel works after he's been awake for about 35 hours. He explicitly asks how to weed because he's never done it, and is told there is no wrong way.
There is no distinction made between careless errors and honest errors, or an awareness that there's a legitimate difference between volunteering for a job and being thrown into it as a surprise punishment. And more, I guess this is more spoiler stuff
I'm really torn about this book. I loved the tone and how well Borba balanced the protagonist's irritating behavior and his basic goodness. I like the premise and the approach, and the characters were great - from Parker to Molly and Chet, Walter and the other boys, to Farmer and the people back home. The humor was good, the quirkiness just right, and the magic beautifully integrated.
BUT. I was troubled by how often Parker was penalized for not knowing things and how the author seemed to collude with this. From the moment he stumbled off the train without his luggage he's made to feel like an idiot for not figuring out how this new mode of travel works after he's been awake for about 35 hours. He explicitly asks how to weed because he's never done it, and is told there is no wrong way.
There is no distinction made between careless errors and honest errors, or an awareness that there's a legitimate difference between volunteering for a job and being thrown into it as a surprise punishment. And more, I guess this is more spoiler stuff
December 5, 2022
In Outside Nowhere, eleven-year-old Parker is sent to a farm in the middle of nowhere and that’s when magical things begin to happen in his life. It’s a charming middle school coming of age story that I won’t soon forget. It’s rare for me to enjoy a young person’s book this much.
The story contains adventure, witty dialogue, and important life-lessons. It’s a fun read with a charmed nostalgic feel. An adorable book!
First Line: The pool smelled like chlorine and fruit punch.
Genre: Children’s
Page Count: 272
Reading Age: 8-12
Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.
The story contains adventure, witty dialogue, and important life-lessons. It’s a fun read with a charmed nostalgic feel. An adorable book!
First Line: The pool smelled like chlorine and fruit punch.
Genre: Children’s
Page Count: 272
Reading Age: 8-12
Disclosure: #CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book.
October 3, 2022
Thank you Little Brown for this free copy of Outside Nowhere. This book for middle school aged children is a gem. When Parker gets sent to a radish farm for the summer in the middle of nowhere, he has no idea how much his experiences will change his outlook on life. This is best middle school novel I have read for quite a while. It is heartwarming, humorous with a touch of magic that will endear the reader to this novel.
October 11, 2022
A surprise-filled and unique coming-of-age story that is both whimsical and wonderful.
Outside Nowhere is a warm and whimsical story of a boy’s magical summer on an unusual farm in the Midwest. Parker had lost his mother, and it was just him and his father and their friend and father’s employer, Ms. Birdseye. A bright child, Parker has lost his way since his mother died, and his actions have become thoughtless and somewhat out of control. The adults in his life have tried nudging him in a more promising direction, but his costly prank at the recreation center swimming pool proves the need for stronger tactics, hence, the farm stay.
Parker’s voice is both precocious and witty, and the deadpan dialogue throughout the book had me laughing out loud. Readers of all ages will be surprised by what is revealed about the farm, and the scenes of discovery will delight everyone. However, there are lessons for Parker to learn, and there are moments when harsh reality shows its face.I recommend OUTSIDE NOWHERE for middle-grade readers, and with its wit and charm, whimsy and magic, even reluctant readers will be tempted by this medium-length chapter book.
I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author or publisher through NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Book Tours.
October 11, 2022
Book Review…Outside Nowhere by Adam Borba
Charming and funny, Parker Kelbrook can wriggle out of anything. So when he’s forced to take a job at the local pool, a threat to his beach-filled summer plans he comes up with the perfect prank to get himself fired.
Once Parker’s father catches wind of his latest scheme, he decides enough is enough, and Parker is sent to work on a farm alongside five other kids who aren't his biggest fans. As Parker learns to roll up his sleeves and keep his head down, strange things start happening. And after he awakens one morning to find a dairy cow on the roof of a barn, he suspects that something magical and mysterious is growing in the farm’s fields.
This was a fantastic magic realism story with great writing and full of inspiration! I love the cover! I sat down with Jacks in the afternoon and we were down by 8pm and we loved every minute of it! There were so many times we laughed out loud! The way magic was used in this book was really interesting! A fantastic story! Thank you TBR and Beyond Tours and Adam Borba for sharing this book with me!
Charming and funny, Parker Kelbrook can wriggle out of anything. So when he’s forced to take a job at the local pool, a threat to his beach-filled summer plans he comes up with the perfect prank to get himself fired.
Once Parker’s father catches wind of his latest scheme, he decides enough is enough, and Parker is sent to work on a farm alongside five other kids who aren't his biggest fans. As Parker learns to roll up his sleeves and keep his head down, strange things start happening. And after he awakens one morning to find a dairy cow on the roof of a barn, he suspects that something magical and mysterious is growing in the farm’s fields.
This was a fantastic magic realism story with great writing and full of inspiration! I love the cover! I sat down with Jacks in the afternoon and we were down by 8pm and we loved every minute of it! There were so many times we laughed out loud! The way magic was used in this book was really interesting! A fantastic story! Thank you TBR and Beyond Tours and Adam Borba for sharing this book with me!
November 22, 2022
I thought this was a pretty adorable middle grade book.
Read
April 23, 2023I don’t think I’ll rate this as it is a children’s story. Writing and general story is fine, I don’t think we needed a bully character though.
November 29, 2022
This book kept my attention from beginning to end. The main character was charming and likeable, to a fault. The plot was innovative and the dialog is clever. Middle grade and middle school readers will enjoy this book. Spoiler alert- there are some sad parts, but it ends very well.
October 5, 2023
The latest bedtime read-aloud with my boys. After the protagonist pulls a big prank so he’ll get fired from his summer job, he is sent to the Midwest work on a not-so-ordinary farm for a summer. I liked it, but didn’t love it — something about the pacing just felt off to me. My 12-year-old really enjoyed it though!
November 12, 2022
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
Parker Kelbrook lives with his long suffering father; his mother is out of the picture. Their life in Pittsburgh is hard, even though they have a patron in Ms. Birdseye, who has an emotional tie to Parker's mother. She helped Parker get a job at a local pool, but he thought it would be funny to dump a large quantity of purple drink into the pool before his shift even starts, causing $3,000 worth of damage. Parker, who has a love for wearing vintage suits, thinks he can use his charm to get out of punishment and go to spend the summer at the beach with his best friend, but his father has had enough. Even though Ms. Birdseye covers the damage, Parker soon finds himself on a train to the Midwest. He ends up working on a farm run by a quiet man and his neice, Molly. He forgets his luggage on the train (he thinks someone will get it for him; he's that entitled), and has to wear moldy smelly hand-me-downs while he picks weeds around the farm with other workers, including Ms. Birdseye's nephew. The farm grows radishes, and delivers them to very selected clientele; the worker are not allowed to eat the crop. Parker does several destructive things that cause everyone else a lot of work; it takes him a while to take his new life seriously. The radishes are a magical crop, and once Parker realizes that he has an important role in the success of the farm, he not only starts to work diligently but is even seen coming back the following year, having changed his selfish ways.
Strengths: Parker is a very unlikable character who does some serious introspection and learns that his actions affect others. I enjoyed the farm setting and the depiction on how hard it is to grow crops; I've planted potatoes, and have friends who regularly walked beans in Iowa, and don't think my students really understand farm life as much as they should! The magical radishes are an interesting topic, and I don't want to say too much about them. Take a look at the cover to see more! This was a fun, quirky title for readers who want to temper their view of magic with gritty (as in farm dirt!) reality!
Weaknesses: I wasn't quite sure when this was set; one character mentions not having a telephone, another listening to the radio for entertainment, and there's Parker's devotion to vintage suits. There's a buggy that Molly takes to the train station. Other parts of this seemed modern. I can see where the cover is going artistically, but I'm not sure my students will.
What I really think: This light magical realism reminded me a bit of the picture book McBroom's Farm,
or Clark's What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World.
Parker Kelbrook lives with his long suffering father; his mother is out of the picture. Their life in Pittsburgh is hard, even though they have a patron in Ms. Birdseye, who has an emotional tie to Parker's mother. She helped Parker get a job at a local pool, but he thought it would be funny to dump a large quantity of purple drink into the pool before his shift even starts, causing $3,000 worth of damage. Parker, who has a love for wearing vintage suits, thinks he can use his charm to get out of punishment and go to spend the summer at the beach with his best friend, but his father has had enough. Even though Ms. Birdseye covers the damage, Parker soon finds himself on a train to the Midwest. He ends up working on a farm run by a quiet man and his neice, Molly. He forgets his luggage on the train (he thinks someone will get it for him; he's that entitled), and has to wear moldy smelly hand-me-downs while he picks weeds around the farm with other workers, including Ms. Birdseye's nephew. The farm grows radishes, and delivers them to very selected clientele; the worker are not allowed to eat the crop. Parker does several destructive things that cause everyone else a lot of work; it takes him a while to take his new life seriously. The radishes are a magical crop, and once Parker realizes that he has an important role in the success of the farm, he not only starts to work diligently but is even seen coming back the following year, having changed his selfish ways.
Strengths: Parker is a very unlikable character who does some serious introspection and learns that his actions affect others. I enjoyed the farm setting and the depiction on how hard it is to grow crops; I've planted potatoes, and have friends who regularly walked beans in Iowa, and don't think my students really understand farm life as much as they should! The magical radishes are an interesting topic, and I don't want to say too much about them. Take a look at the cover to see more! This was a fun, quirky title for readers who want to temper their view of magic with gritty (as in farm dirt!) reality!
Weaknesses: I wasn't quite sure when this was set; one character mentions not having a telephone, another listening to the radio for entertainment, and there's Parker's devotion to vintage suits. There's a buggy that Molly takes to the train station. Other parts of this seemed modern. I can see where the cover is going artistically, but I'm not sure my students will.
What I really think: This light magical realism reminded me a bit of the picture book McBroom's Farm,
or Clark's What We Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World.
December 12, 2022
Parker Kelbrook is slick, which allows him to slide out of whatever trouble he gets into. It works fine until his benefactor, Ms. Birdseye, gets him a summer job. But Parker’s best friend is going to spend a month at the beach, and Parker wants to go, so he plays a dirty trick to get fired so he can go to the beach. Not so fast, says his father. Ms. Birdseye has another assignment for Parker. He is put on a train and sent to a farm in the middle of nowhere. The work is hard. The only thing grown is radishes, and they are sold two or three at a time. But there is more going on than meets the eye, and it is a mystery Parker wants to solve.
Adam Borba has written a unique story that is fun, engaging, and full of magic and mystery. The characters are all well-rounded and complex, each with their own backstory. The setting perfectly matches this unusual story, with it being contemporary and at the same time awfully old-fashioned. Young readers (and older ones as well) will be engaged to the end trying to figure out what the heck is going on. I wrote this review for the Manhattan Book Review and for my blog at https://rosihollinbeck.com/blog
Adam Borba has written a unique story that is fun, engaging, and full of magic and mystery. The characters are all well-rounded and complex, each with their own backstory. The setting perfectly matches this unusual story, with it being contemporary and at the same time awfully old-fashioned. Young readers (and older ones as well) will be engaged to the end trying to figure out what the heck is going on. I wrote this review for the Manhattan Book Review and for my blog at https://rosihollinbeck.com/blog
May 28, 2024
I really don't know what to think about this novel. It's a little strange, to be honest, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Some of the best novels are a little strange. I really liked the protagonist, too; he was amusing and distinctive while still being "ordinary", and I wouldn't mind seeing him in another novel. The problem was that he was clearly a teenager in a middle-grade novel, which was not only odd (to my mind) but made me think the novel could been more interesting and complex-- while still keeping its light, fun touch-- if it had been a YA story.
Another strange thing is that the novel had other plot points that grounded it in the subgenre of magical realism, yet that very noticeable aspect of the story didn't get much attention or depth, so it was more of a "regular" realism sort of book most of the time. By the end, I had grasped the theme--"actions have consequences"--but felt a little confused about what had just happened and whether what I had read was really what I consider valuable literature worth recommending. I didn't dislike it; it just seemed like a good story in the making that was maybe published too soon.
Another strange thing is that the novel had other plot points that grounded it in the subgenre of magical realism, yet that very noticeable aspect of the story didn't get much attention or depth, so it was more of a "regular" realism sort of book most of the time. By the end, I had grasped the theme--"actions have consequences"--but felt a little confused about what had just happened and whether what I had read was really what I consider valuable literature worth recommending. I didn't dislike it; it just seemed like a good story in the making that was maybe published too soon.
December 27, 2022
Yes, there is a cow floating above a farm house, but the rest of the cover looks pretty dull.
When Parker, light-hearted charmer gets sent off to work at a farm for the summer, the grim Farmer, and 4 other guys in the bunk house just don't come off as happy, fun, and games.
Parker's never really worked. He does not adapt easily. The mystery of stone-faced Farmer and nearly silent Molly add to his questions. Why grow only radishes? Why only by hand? Why no eating the crop? Why doesn't his charming patter work on anybody here?
Finally, finally the whole purpose of this remarkable farm is revealed to Parker. His life and perhaps our's, change as a result.
When Parker, light-hearted charmer gets sent off to work at a farm for the summer, the grim Farmer, and 4 other guys in the bunk house just don't come off as happy, fun, and games.
Parker's never really worked. He does not adapt easily. The mystery of stone-faced Farmer and nearly silent Molly add to his questions. Why grow only radishes? Why only by hand? Why no eating the crop? Why doesn't his charming patter work on anybody here?
Finally, finally the whole purpose of this remarkable farm is revealed to Parker. His life and perhaps our's, change as a result.
February 6, 2023
This story was very interesting. It had a little bit of mystery and a little bit of fantasy mixed in with a story of a boy. I understand that this is a young reader story, but I do wish there was a little more meat to it. More character building, not a lot, just a little, and more story. However, I really enjoyed it. I look forward to my son reading Outside Nowhere, and seeing what else Adam Borba writes in the future.
December 14, 2022
This story was *fine*, I liked the character development, but maybe don't set a book in Kansas, even on a magical radish farm in Kansas "50 miles from Topeka" if you're not going to do your research? Kansas is not "Nowhere" and in the year of our lord 2022 shouldn't just be used as a nowhere setting.
March 14, 2023
"Outside Nowhere" is a gentle, good story about learning the value of hard work, focus, and responsibility. I'd say this is probably intended to be a middle grade book, though I think teen readers would also enjoy this story about a witty teen protagonist working a summer job (with a tiny bit of magical realism thrown in)
August 7, 2023
It seemed good up until the big reveal and then there were plot points that didn't make sense. Seriously, if all the radishes were that important then they should have fixed the gate so the animals couldn't get into the crop. The only reason for the cow on top of the barn roof seems to be to move the plot along which then cheapens the ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 17, 2022
Not this kid was obnoxious at first, so if you have to like a main character to read a book, this may not be the one for you. And honestly, I don’t know that he gets that much better. But the story is cute.
January 17, 2023
Remined me of "Holes". I loved the main character, the mystery and touch of magic. But the moralistic message of, "Lack of hard work and responisbility leads to deadly consequences" felt a little heavy handed and preachy. Creative story until the end.
October 12, 2022
Wonderful story. Super cool
January 15, 2023
Cute children’s book and quick read
January 19, 2023
This is the warm and whimsical story of a boy's magical summer on an unusual Midwestern farm.
January 24, 2023
I love realistic fiction. I thought this was but.....there was a little touch of magic to it, which I LOVED!!! You just fall in love with the characters and want it all to work out for them.
January 24, 2023
Dnf @ 19%
Displaying 1 - 29 of 43 reviews