The Thickety #2: The Whispering Trees

by J. A. White Narrated by Moira Quirk

Overview

Perfect for fans of Neil Gaiman, book two in the acclaimed Thickety series is the story of a good witch, a bad witch, and a forest demon, trapped together in a world that is both enchanting and dangerous.

After Kara Westfall's village turns on her for practicing witchcraft, she and her brother, Taff, flee to the one place they know they won't be followed: the Thickety.

Only this time Kara is magicless without her grimoire and Sordyr, the forest demon, is intent on keeping them there. Kara and Taff will meet other inhabitants of the Thickety in their search for a safe way out, including the infamous witch, Mary Kettle.

But can they trust anyone-plant, creature, witch, book, or magic-to help them escape, to undo Grace's final terrible spell, and to stop Sordyr's horrible reach from spreading across the rest of the world?

Editorial Reviews

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books (starred review)

An exceptionally well-written and compelling sequel.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

A startling plot twist at the end will have readers urgently waiting for a sequel, and it may lead them right back into the book to see if they missed earlier clues.

Publishers Weekly

★ 01/26/2015
Given the literal wild ride that ends The Thickety: A Path Begins, with nascent witch Kara Westfall and her brother escaping into the eponymous forest, it’s tempting to plunge into this sequel at full speed. But fans of the previous book will be rewarded by taking the time to savor the uncanny and blighted realm Kara and Taff must now cross, pursued by the demonic Sordyr and aided by legendary witch Mary Kettle. Among the perils they face are the Draye’varg (a plain of stone that creates murderous simulacra from those that cross it); darkeaters, which kill by consuming shadows; and Imogen, a tentacled creature that feeds on the emotions of false memories. Their one chance of defeating Sordyr may lie in allying themselves with the adversary who bound him to the Thickety in the first place. With a plot that coils like a tangle of brambles and an ending that, while more predicable, is no less twisty than that of its predecessor, this sequel will keep readers invested in Kara and Taff’s adventures in this dangerous and imaginative world. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Alexandra Machinist, Janklow & Nesbit. (Mar.)

Soman Chainani

The Thickety: The Whispering Trees is a thrilling sequel: a whirlwind of suspense and twists.J.A. White isn’t just a fantastic writer and storyteller - he spins myths that feel as old as the Thickety itself. A must-read series for every age.

Lisa McMann

The Thickety is a sinister, magical debut with a marvelous and shocking heroine. J.A. White’s elegant writing and masterful plot kept me turning pages late into the night.

Booklist (starred review)

The twisted plot is perfectly matched by the twisted atmosphere. . . . Spine-tingling.

School Library Journal

02/01/2015
Gr 5–8—In this relentlessly grim follow-up to 2014's The Thickety: A Path Begins, (HarperCollins), siblings Kara and Taff are on the run inside the dangerous forest known as the Thickety. Demon Sordyr is hot on their heels and intent on keeping them inside the woods. With the help of a beguiling new friend with a demonic past, Kara and Taff search for a way out of the cursed forest and away from their lost lives in the village of De'Noran. Kara's magical ability to communicate with animals begins to grow, but like all magic, it comes at a terrible price: in this case, her memories. The plot turns come fast and furious, while the dark imagery of the forest and spot illustrations add to the underlying feeling of dread. The nail-biting suspense will keep readers turning the pages late into the night, and in Kara, readers will find a protagonist to root for. Fans of happy endings, however, should search for a different adventure. VERDICT Readers who enjoyed the spine-chilling first installment will be eager to get their hands on this sequel.—Elisabeth Gattullo Marrocolla, Darien Library, CT

Kirkus Reviews

2014-12-06
This fantasy follow-up to A Path Begins (2014) continues the story of 12-year-old Kara Westfall and her brother, Taff, who escape their village by riding the mare Shadowdancer into the surrounding Thickety. Tension picks up from Chapter 1, as the siblings flee through the forest. The children fall asleep on horseback and wake up in a huge meat-eating plant called a gritchenlock. Luckily, Kara remembers a trick their mother taught her that makes the plant drop them. Landing at the feet of the infamous witch Mary Kettle, Kara has to—reluctantly—accept the old witch as a guide and teacher. The siblings must evade monstrous animals; cross the Draye'varg, a dangerous mound of boulders that create dangerous simulacra; and, finally, destroy Imogen, a terrifying, tentacled predator. And then there is the Forest Demon….The unexpected climax and ending guarantee another book to enjoy. Readers new to the series will catch up quickly thanks to White's adept incorporation of back story. This title has all the ingredients—a doughty heroine and her admirable younger brother, an unreliable guide who can't stay the same age for long, and a heavy "ick" factor—to keep readers glued to it. (Fantasy. 11-15)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940170325528
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/10/2015
Series:	Thickety Series , #2
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	10 - 13 Years

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