The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune (2020)

Linus Baker has been a Case Worker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth (aka DICOMY) for 17 years. It’s his job to evaluate the government-sanctioned orphanages for magical children. He’s thorough, reliable, objective and reads the Rules and Regulations tome every chance he gets. You might think that this would make Linus an anal stick-in-the-mud who only cares about following the rules, but Linus isn't. He does his job because he genuinely believes in the mission of helping these children have nurturing environments to grow in.  Outside of work there’s only his cat, Calliope, and his LPs by the likes of the Big Bopper, Richie Valens and Buddy Holly. Also his annoying, nosy, gossiping neighbor who continually casting aspersions while simultaneously trying to fix Linus up with her nephew. (Not that Linus has ever said that he was gay.)

One day, Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management (EUM), much to his obnoxious boss's chagrin. The EUM give him curious (aka odd) and highly classified assignment: he is to travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage and evaluate the home and its manger, Arthur Parnassus. EUM doesn’t give him any more information. They just tell him to document everything, no matter how innocuous, so that they can make an informed decision regarding the orphanage. He only receives the  case files for the children and the caretaker when he exits the train to catch the ferry to the island. The first (and most important file according to EUM) is on 6-year Lucy, who just happens to be the Antichrist. (Linus faints when he reads this, even though he's never been that religious of a person, because... Antichrist.) 

The orphanage is home to 5 other children, all whose species is rare: Talia, a female gnome (they also have beards), Theodore, a wyvern (who is about the size of a domestic housecat), Phee, a forest sprite,  Sal, a shifter who goes from being a large boy (of at least 150 pounds) to a five-pound Pomeranian when startled, and Chauncey, an amorphous green blob with bright red lips who dreams of becoming a bellhop. The sextet's caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur, who we discover early on is the ex of one of the EUM (the very handsome one, who used Arthur on his way to the top). 

This is a story that deals with snap judgments and prejudices, as well as nature vs. nurture. Klune has crafted an original story with 3-D characters that come together to create the best kind of found family. As with Under the Whispering Door, we have a queer romance, but like that novel it’s never the focus of the story. Instead it's just something that evolves over time and something that leaves you feeling happy that they found each other. I think that's the best kind of representation, because queerness is treated like it's every day and average, rather than something unique, rare or odd, like it's a facet of their personality rather than their defining characteristic.

I'm very happy that I finally read this (it's been on my TBR for years) and it's definitely one that I will read again.

It also had a poem that made me cry: 

“I am but paper. 

Brittle and thin. 

I am held up to the sun, 

and it shines right through me. 

I get written on, 

and I can never be used again. 

These scratches are a history. 

They’re a story. 

They tell things for others to read, 

but they only see the words, 

and not what the words are written upon. 

I am but paper, 

and though there are many like me, 

none are exactly the same. 

I am parched parchment. 

I have lines. 

I have holes. 

Get me wet, and I melt. 

Light me on fire, and I burn. 

Take me in hardened hands, 

and I crumple. I tear. 

I am but paper. 

Brittle and thin.”

That will never make me not cry. 

I’m not quite sure why it isn’t a 5 star read. It’s really close: 4.75 stars.