BERSERKERS

Viking treasure, sinkholes, and a conquistador’s descendant converge beneath a dying Minnesota town.

When beloved history teacher Mr. Lindquist vanishes while hunting for Norse treasure, sixth grader Danny Hall and his crew plunge into labyrinthine underground passages to find him. Armed with cryptic maps and headlamps, Danny, hockey-loving Dolly, geocaching enthusiast Mulch, and Amazon Shawn (because he’s the “guy who could get you whatever you wanted”) navigate treacherous terrain pursued by a new teacher from Seville whose ancestor was a Spanish conquistador. The friends’ limits are tested by stampeding cave pigs and swarming bats, among other challenges. The narrative voice crackles with personality, breaking the fourth wall to address readers directly with winking asides and metacommentary, creating an intimate, conversational tone that perfectly complements the madcap adventure. The author weaves authentic Minnesota culture—like exclamations of “uff-da” and descriptions of bluff country geography and hotdish ingredients—with Norse mythology that feels both magical and grounded. Figurative language sparkles throughout, from Cop Olaf, who’s built “like a water heater,” to Danny’s having a revelation that hits him “like a wrench flying into a Mini Cooper’s headlight.” The relationship dynamics ring beautifully true as the friends navigate loyalty, loss, and small-town decline in this exuberantly quirky romp. Multiple plot threads—villainous conspiracies, the perspective of a sentient rock, a dying grandfather’s advice—intertwine expertly. Most characters present white, and Mulch’s dad is Black.

A treasure of a book—adventurous, hilarious, and surprisingly moving; readers will go berserk.