The second book in Canongate's WILDWOOD trilogy
Colin Meloy once wrote Ray Bradbury a letter, informing him that he
'considered himself an author too'. He was ten. Since then, Colin
has gone on to be the singer and songwriter for the band The
Decemberists, where he channels all of his weird ideas into weird
songs. With the Wildwood Chronicles, he is now channeling those
ideas into novels.
As a child, Carson Ellis loved exploring the woods, drawing and
nursing wounded animals back to health. As an adult, little has
changed - except she is now the acclaimed illustrator of several
books for children, including Lemony Snicket's The Composer is
Dead, Dillweed's Revenge by Florence Parry Heide, and The
Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. Colin and
Carson live with their sons, Hank and Milo, in Portland, Oregon,
quite near the Impassable Wilderness.
Praise for WILDWOOD: 'This book is like the wild, strange forest it
describes. It is full of suspense and danger and frightening things
the world has never seen, and once I stepped inside I never wanted
to leave
*LEMONY SNICKET, author of A Series of Unfortunate Events*
A beautiful object and a beautiful read. One half fairy tale, one
half coming-of-age story, one half unrepentantly gorgeous work of
art, this book is overflowing with gifts
*JONATHAN SAFRAN FOER*
A haunting and beautiful adventure, as well as a rare instance of
an almost supernaturally seamless collaboration between writer and
illustrator. A brilliant book, about the magic that fringes
reality, about the intensity of childhood, about friendship, and
the wonders of the wilderness. You are holding a very precious
thing
*MATT HAIG, author of Shadow Forest*
This vivid picaresque fantasy . . . with stylish line drawings and
colour plates . . . is an unpretentiously written tale with a
strong start, an engaging denouement and a green theme
* * Sunday Times Culture Magazine * *
Gr 4-7-After defeating the Dowager Governess in Wildwood (2011), Prue McKeel is happy to be at home with her family and Curtis is content with his life as a bandit. All that changes when the two find out that they are being hunted by wolf assassins. The revolution they helped start in South Wood is close to collapse and someone has placed a bounty on the heads of Prue and her friends. After the death of the Elder Mystic, Prue learns that she has a powerful destiny and that she must somehow reanimate the mechanical prince before the other side does or it could mean the end of Wildwood. On top of all this, Curtis's sisters, who he left behind to join the bandits, are trapped working in a machine parts factory. The sisters could hold the key to Prue's success, but the two sides are not destined to meet in this book. At times the story is heartbreaking, but the characters are resilient and strong. The ending is not a happy one, but it holds the promise of hope for the future. Colin Meloy narrates his own story (2012, both Balzer + Bray), eloquently capturing the accents and personalities of his characters. Fans of the first book as well as those who enjoyed Trenton Lee Stewart's "The Mysterious Benedict Society" series will be drawn to the vocabulary, moral dilemmas, and clever humor here.-Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY (c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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