Willa of the Wood
A spotted, green-skinned night-spirit, Willa, is a forest girl ordered to steal from the day-folk for the good of her clan. When she takes a risk to enter an isolated cabin, she meets a human man and soon finds herself gravely wounded and on the run. Aided by the forest creatures, she returns home only to uncover secrets and greater dangers waiting for her, for her clan is crumbling from within and the forest itself is threatened by relentless human loggers. Willa is exiled from all that she knows and sent on a quest for belonging that demands sacrifice and courage—and, Willa fears, her very life.
Set in the Great Smoky Mountains around 1900, the novel sings with the beauty and wonder of the forest. The birds, big cats, and stalking wolves are as much a part of it as the living trees and gushing mountain streams. Humans are the interlopers, and their loud, frightful machines and the sharp axes of the loggers fill Willa with terror.
Adventure comes at a ratcheting pace, pitting Willa against her fellow thieves and the leader of her clan as her world changes. She responds with courage and heart to the dangers she faces. Told in a beautiful, addictive style, this novel is a joy to read from beginning to end. Magic and mystery dominate the tale, which includes just a touch of history. Though it is geared toward readers aged 8-12, those of all ages will enjoy this delightful read.
