Synopses & Reviews
Rowanna’s stern caretaker, Mellwyn, has warned her again and again not to go near the trees that surround their seaside cottage. But Rowanna is drawn to the forest—especially the HighWillow on its faraway hill. Are the trees really forest ghouls, as Mellwyn says? Or could they possibly hold the secret to Rowanna’s past and the mother she can hardly remember? If only she could get near the High Willow, Rowanna feels certain she would understand. . . . With its timeless forest setting and charming, whimsical characters, Tree Girl is a perfect introduction to fantasy for young middle-grade readers, from a true master of the genre.
Review
Boulder, Colorado“Barron is a wonderful storyteller, a maker of myths and fables who creates magical places where characters learn wisdom and power.”—School Library Journal "Tree Girl will surely delight its readers. As in all T.A. Barron books, there is a great deal of wisdom and humor — and an unforgettable hero."— Madeleine L'Engle Newbery Winner, A Wrinkle in Time “Barron portrays [characters]… with subtlety and originality... [Readers] will respond to underlying themes of self-reliance, rebellion, and the search for self-knowledge.”—Booklist “Behind Tree Girl is the author's bone deep belief in the holiness of our earth and the children and trees on it. I wish there were a thousand T.A. Barrons out there.”—Rosemary Wells, Author of Mary on Horseback “Tree Girl is sprightly, magical, and wise. The story is one to enjoy and to ponder, a breath of the forest—a delight.”—Barbara Helen Berger, Author of Grandfather Twilight “In Tree Girl, T.A. Barron has created a fantasy with the poignancy and the lyricism of the best tales of Hans Christian Andersen.”—Barbara Kiefer, Author of Children's Literature in the Elementary School, 6th and 7th Editions “Weaves elements of environmentalism, folklore, and personal discovery into a story that is brief but completely engrossing.”—BabyCenter.com “I read Tree Girl aloud to my entire family (my youngest is a 2nd grader). They were entranced. The only time I heard anything from them was when I paused to take a drink. The cry was, ‘Keep going!’”—BookReview.com “I found Tree Girl very touching. It speaks to the mystery that every child has within.”—William Howarth, Professor of English Literature, Princeton University “T. A. Barron is a wonderful find for young readers for this reason: He tells interesting stories without dumbing them down.”—Boulder Daily Camera
Synopsis
When the kindly old aunts decide that they need help caring for creatures who live on their hidden island, they know that adults can't be trusted. What they need are a few special children who can keep a secret-a secret as big as a magical island. And what better way to get children who can keep really big secrets, than to kidnap them! (After all, some children just plain need to be kidnapped.) Don't miss this wildly inventive and funny read from master storyteller Eva Ibbotson.
Synopsis
Tom Anglebergers farcical middle-grade mystery begins when MLady Luggertuck loosens her corset (it has never been loosened before!), thereby setting off a chain of events in which all the strict rules of Smugwick Manor are abandoned. When, as a result of “the Loosening,” the precious family heirloom, the Luggertuck Lump (quite literally a lump), goes missing, the Luggertucks look for someone to blame. Is it Horton Halfpott, the good-natured but lowly kitchen boy who cant tell a lie? Or one of the many colorful cast members in this romp of a mystery that combines supreme silliness with a tale of a young hero with heart.
About the Author
Eva Ibbotson, born Maria Charlotte Michelle Wiesner (21 January 1925 - 20 October 2010), was an Austrian-born British novelist, known for her children's books. Some of her novels for adults have been successfully reissued for the young adult market in recent years. For the historical novel Journey to the River Sea (Macmillan, 2001), she won the Smarties Prize in category 9-11 years, garnered unusual commendation as runner up for the Guardian Prize, and made the Carnegie, Whitbread, and Blue Peter shortlists. She was a finalist for the 2010 Guardian Prize at the time of her death. Her last book, The Abominables, was one of eight books on the longlist for the same award in 2012.