The Tear Collector
$32.75
- Hardcover
336 pages
- Release Date
9 December 2025
Summary
Set after the end of the world, this darkly fantastical climate change tale explores hope, memory, and what really makes a monster.
Climate change culminated in the Flood, an enormous wave that wiped out entire countries. Malka and her younger brother Ezra survived and now live with Dr. Jonas Hollman on the Island, the only piece of land left on Earth. Scavenging useful things from the shoreline under the watchful eye of the Island’s sinister leader Mr. Gray, Malka and her family get …
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780316578042 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 0316578045 |
| Author: | R.M. Romero |
| Publisher: | Little, Brown & Company |
| Imprint: | Little, Brown Young Readers |
| Format: | Hardcover |
| Number of Pages: | 336 |
| Release Date: | 9 December 2025 |
| Weight: | 403g |
| Dimensions: | 198mm x 136mm x 34mm |
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Critics Review
“Romero (The Ghosts of Rose Hill) builds a sorrowful yet still hopeful post-apocalyptic world using a cast of characters who find joy in life despite the unknowns. Their mutual care and understanding highlights how community is both possible and necessary in the face of despair. The Tear Collector handles climate fears with aplomb, answering the question ‘Is there still hope?’ with a resounding ‘yes.’”–Shelf Awareness, starred review
“Readers will be rooting for Malka to save Ezra and the other Islanders in this dark and powerful middle grade fairy tale that is infused with hope and fantasy. A novel that handles heavy topics with a light touch; recommended for upper middle grade.”–School Library Journal
“Romero (A Warning About Swans) crafts a timely portrait of an extreme but resonant near future, laying out the stakes of climate doomerism while making an argument for action as an antidote, if not a cure, for the ills humans have inflicted on the planet.”–BCCB
“A terrifically tender tribute to the power of hope and unconditional love in a challenging world.”–Booklist
“This dystopian adventure delivers a balm for climate anxiety in the form of persistence and cooperation. A vivid, emotionally resonant narrative that showcases an unforgettable world.”
–Kirkus Reviews
“Lyrical prose, darkly whimsical worldbuilding, and an intersectionally diverse cast of exquisitely rendered, emotionally complex characters complement Romero’s inspiring plot, which advocates for mental health awareness as well as activism both social and environmental.”–Publishers Weekly, starred review
Praise for Tale of the Flying Forest:
“With stunning prose and deeply relatable characters, Tale of the Flying Forest is a love letter to Jewish storytelling wrapped in a fairy-tale bow. As lyrical as a song and decadent as storybook chocolate, this story will sweep you away among its fox-shaped clouds.” –Kalyn Josephson, New York Times bestselling author of the Ravenfall series
“A delightful middle grade fantasy that’s really quite timeless. It’s absolutely charming, with lovely illustrations.” –Charles de Lint, award-winning author of The Cats of Tanglewood Forest
“Rich, lyrical storytelling in a breathtakingly imaginative world. A joy to read!” –Sophie Anderson, award-winning author of The House with Chicken Legs
“A powerful story that proves hope can win even in the darkest moments.”–Stacy McAnulty, bestselling author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
“An eerie apocalyptic fairy tale drenched in sorrow and ultimately brimming with hope, The Tear Collector is exactly the kind of story we all need right now: a story about the power of love and the endurance of truth.”–Hayley Chewins, critically acclaimed author of The Turnaway Girls
“Filled with hope, fantasy, and childlike imagination, R. M. Romero’s The Tear Collector weaves together an end-of-the-world story unlike any other, and one that shines a beacon on those that remain behind–as well as the bonds that tie them all together.”–Steven Banbury, bestselling author of the Pumpkin Princess series
“R. M. Romero writes like fireworks–bursts of action, sparkling prose, and characters who shine against the deepest dark. I loved The Tear Collector from the first line.”–Natalie Lloyd, New York Times bestselling author of Hummingbird and The Witching Wind
“Romero’s The Tear Collector reconsiders what it means to hope–actively hope–in a time of darkness and loss. A timely and inspiring work.”–Christiane M. Andrews, critically acclaimed author of Wolfish and Spindlefish and Stars
“This gripping fantasy story rises up from a drowning sea that has covered much of the earth. Just at the moment when resourcefulness is most needed, sorrow is turning people on this small island into strange misshapen monsters. With twists and turns and surprises that lift hope out of despair, a brother and sister struggle to discover who is the enemy and who can be trusted before the seas rise again to drown their little colony.”–Amy Herrick, author of The Time Fetch and The Tiltersmith
“Urgent, dreamy, and darkly lyrical as the very best fairy tales. The Tear Collector is timely cli-fi and timeless fantasy rolled into a heart-wrenching adventure unlike any other. Everyone needs to read this.”–Mary Averling, author of The Curse of Eelgrass Bog
About The Author
R.M. Romero
R.M. Romero is a critically acclaimed Jewish Latina and international bestselling author of fairy tales for children and adults. She is the author of Tale of the Flying Forest, illustrated by E.K. Belsher; The Dollmaker of Krakow and The Ghosts of Rose Hill, both Sydney Taylor Notable Books; A Warning About Swans; and Death’s Country. R.M. Romero lives in Miami Beach with her cat Robin Goodfellow.
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