Dusssie
#8373.64 adjusted 3.88 for sample size in the official ranking · full ranking
Books 1 book Status Complete 2007 Reading commitment Low Nancy Springer Last reviewed 2026-11-01
Overview
Dusssie is a standalone middle-grade fantasy by Nancy Springer, published by Walker & Company in 2007. It is set in the present day, where thirteen-year-old Dusie wakes up to find her hair has turned into snakes. She learns that her mother is an immortal Gorgon from Greek mythology and that she was named after her aunt Medusa. Dusie must hide her condition at middle school and learn to control her temper and her gaze, which can turn people to stone, with help from other women of myth. The title is spelled with three s's on the cover. The book has no sequels and is not described as part of a series.
Urban fantasy, Mythic fantasy · For Middle grade
Core Canon: Reading Order (1 work) counts toward ranking
Dusssie Nancy Springer
| Work | Year | Internal chron. | Canon | Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Dusssie; The title is spelled Dusssie (three s's); the heroine's name is spelled Dusie in descriptions. | 2007 | 1 | core | 3.64 (276 ratings) |
A standalone middle-grade fantasy about a girl who discovers she is the daughter of a Gorgon.
Quick answers
- How many books are in Dusssie? Dusssie's Core Canon is 1 book.
- Is Dusssie finished? Complete (2007).
- How much reading does Dusssie take? Low reading commitment (estimated from 1 Core Canon book).
- How is Dusssie ranked? #837 in this site's official ranking, based on 276 reader ratings across 1 Core Canon book. See the full ranking for how this is calculated.
Why is it ranked #837?
Ranked #837 in the official ranking.
- Average reader rating of 3.64 across 1 core book.
- A smaller readership (276 ratings), so the score carries less weight of numbers.
- 0.23 behind #836, The Broken Sword.
- Below the top-10 average of 4.46.
Why explore this universe?
Modestly rated · 1 book · Complete · 276 ratings · Ranks #837 overall
Good choice if you want a quick, low-commitment urban fantasy universe that's already finished, so there's no wait for the next book.
Reading order
A single Core Canon work: no sequencing question to resolve.
Awards (verified)
- Mythopoeic Award (Children's Literature), 2008: nominated: Dusssie
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- The Song from Somewhere Else Urban fantasy · Complete · Low commitment · 3.75
Official resources
Research details
Ranking metrics: weighted average 3.64 across 276 ratings on 1 Core Canon book. See Why is it ranked here? above for the full breakdown, or the full ranking.
How do we know this?
Admission: Canon Extension: 22 universes, among them The Ordered and Reflections of Eterna; four candidates ruled out accepted 2026-11-01
Sources: (see source tier definitions)
- Books.org listing Tier 2
- FantasticFiction Tier 2
- Everand publisher description Tier 2
Last reviewed: 2026-11-01
Rule: Core Canon = the standalone novel Dusssie (2007).