Hercufleas — Samuel Gayton

To protect her village from a giant, Greta recruits a champion: Hercufleas! He may be tiny, but this young flea is certain he's destined for greatness. Being a hero is harder than it seems, though, and Hercufleas and Greta face unexpected choices -- and consequences -- in their desperate attempts to save the village, and each other.

Big heroes come in small packages in a superbly imagined tale that is part comedic adventure, part poignant coming-of-age epic, and wholly original.