Tree Girl

October 15, 2001
Barron's (The Lost Years of Merlin) unevenly paced fantasy centers on nine-year-old Anna, who lives with a crotchety old man in a cottage near the forest. In answer to her repeated inquiries about her past, her guardian, Master Mellwyn, tells her only that he found her as an infant nestled in the roots of a willow tree. He forbids her to go into the woods, warning that evil "ghouls" live there. At the same time, she is repeatedly drawn to the sight of the High Willow, which towers over the other forest trees: "Something about this tree spoke to her—aye, called to her." The chapter that chronicles the heroine's softening toward her master and her immediate about-face moves too swiftly for readers to find her abrupt changes of heart credible. The upshot is that Anna befriends a forbidden bear who suddenly transforms into a boy and announces that he is a "tree spirit." As the two bond, readers will likely piece together the lass's identity, rendering anticlimactic the moment when she discovers who her mother is. The story's confusing internal logic (Why does Anna bear a striking resemblance to the Master's late daughter, for instance?) and predictable denouement diminish its effect. Ages 8-12.

October 1, 2001
Gr 4-7-Barron is a wonderful storyteller, a maker of myths and fables who creates magical places where characters learn wisdom and power. Here, nine-year-old Rowanna is determined to discover her past and find her mother. She lives in a lonely cottage by the sea with a fisherman, old Mellwyn, who rescued her as a baby from beneath the High Willow tree in a forest that is haunted by tree ghouls. In time, Anna befriends a bear/boy who is a tree spirit. When the protection Mellwyn offers begins to feel like a restraint, the girl makes her way to the High Willow with her friend on High Hallow Eve. On that day, spirits emerge from the trees and dance through the night. Anna learns that there are no tree ghouls, and that she, too, is a tree spirit, the daughter of the High Willow. The message is clear: if we are fearful, we will see frightening things around us, while if we are positive in our outlook, we will be open to the world around us. As in the author's previous novels, magic and the supernatural are used to reveal the interconnectedness of all living things and to convey a deep respect for nature. Stylistically rich and lyrical, this novel weaves themes of self-discovery, family, loyalty, and friendship into an imaginative tale.-Connie Tyrrell Burns, Mahoney Middle School, South Portland, ME

Copyright 2001 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2001
Gr. 4-8. Nine-year-old Rowanna lives in a cottage by the sea with Master Melwyn, an old fisherman who has raised her from infancy and warned her repeatedly to watch out for the vicious, bloodthirsty ghouls in the forest. Lured by High Willow, the great tree at the top of the forest, and a playful bear cub who befriends the lonely child, she begins to venture into the forbidden forest. There, Rowanna learns to look beyond her preconceptions and understand the magical reality of the forest and the secret of her parentage. Though the character of the old fisherman seems stereotypical, Barron portrays the shape-shifting bear with subtlety and originality. The age of the protagonist and the simplicity of the telling suggest a middle-grade audience, but this short fantasy may ultimately have more appeal to teens, who will respond to its underlying themes of self reliance, rebellion, and the search for self-knowledge. For larger collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2002
Nine-year-old Anna longs to know about her past and wonders what answers she could find within the nearby forest, which she is not supposed to enter. She defies her guardians rules in her determination to explore the woods and learn more about the mother she doesnt remember. This short fantasy features a spunky protagonist who interacts with nature as she follows her heart.

(Copyright 2002 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)