Willa of the Wood: Willa of the Wood, Book 1

by Robert Beatty Narrated by Emily Rankin

Overview

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Beatty comes a thrilling new series set in the magical world of Serafina.

Move without a sound. Steal without a trace.

Willa, a young night-spirit of the Great Smoky Mountains, is her clan's best thief. She creeps into the homes of day-folk under cover of darkness and takes what they won't miss. It's dangerous work-the day-folk kill whatever they do not understand—but Willa will do anything to win the approval of the padaran, the charismatic leader of the Faeran people.

When Willa's curiosity leaves her hurt and stranded in the day world, she calls upon an ancient, unbreakable bond to escape. Only then does she discover the truth: not all day-folk are the same, and the foundations that have guarded the Faeran for eons are under attack.

As forces of unfathomable destruction encroach on her home, Willa must decide who she truly is. To save the day-folk family that has become her own—and lift the curse that has robbed her people of their truth—Willa will meet deadly force with trusted alliance, violence with shelter, and an ever-changing world with a steady heartbeat of courage.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"A moving, atmospheric journey of hope."—Kirkus Reviews

B&N Kids's July's Best Books for Young Readers
Brightly's Best Children's and YA Books of July 2018

Kirkus Reviews

2018-06-17
The old sourwood trees, the rushing streams and rivers, and the great mountain are home to 12-year-old Willa. She and her mamaw live in Dead Hollow with hundreds of her dwindling Faeran clan. Ruled over by their fearsome leader and god, the padaran, the Faeran are a woodland race who once numbered in the thousands, living on the Smoky Mountain as stewards of the forest. Under the rule of the padaran, the old ways of speaking to animals and plants, foraging and caretaking, and using the old language are forbidden. Instead, Faeran children are forced to speak Eng-lish and drafted into his fearsome army of trained hunter-thieves called jaetters, who must steal from the day-folk, or white homesteaders. One night, Willa breaks into a homesteader's cabin and is badly wounded. When the human man sees that she's so gravely hurt, he tries to help—to her shock. Willa flees to Dead Hollow, where she is shocked to discover a young Cherokee boy along with many other human children imprisoned. As she sets out to unravel this mystery, she grows to understand the power of individual choice and of standing up for what's right. Beatty writes a close third-person narration from Willa's perspective, allowing readers to see the various humans she encounters through her eyes: the Cherokee the Faeran predated but live peacefully alongside; the day-folk the jaetters steal from; and the loggers and developers who do violence to them all—and with whom the padaran has more in common than he should.A moving, atmospheric journey of hope. (Fantasy. 10-14)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940172024924
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	07/10/2018
Series:	Willa of the Wood Series , #1
Edition description:	Unabridged
Age Range:	8 - 11 Years

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