Monday, May 13, 2013

The Cats of Tanglewood Forest by Charles De Lint –ADVISABLE


De Lint, Charles and Illustrated by Vess, Charles The Cats of Tanglewood Forest 304 pgs. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2013. $11.30.  Content: Language: G (0 swears); Mature Content: G ; Violence: G.

Lillian is a simple farm girl who loves the woods. When tragedy befalls her there, the cats of the forest take matters into their own hands. Now transformed into a kitten, Lillian sets out on journey which delves into native American legend. She meets Mother Possum, the Bear People, and Aunt Nancy who is rumored to be a spider. Will she get her life back or have events gone too far to set things right?

First off this is a high quality fully illustrated book, filled to the brim with some of the most stunning art I have ever seen. I was blown away by how amazing this unexpected inclusion was and how much it added to the mood of the story. I love the folktale feel of this story along with the many Native American legends. I did feel a bit detached from the main character because she was a bit air-headed at times. Also the story has many native forest animals, but then includes feral cats, which doesn't seem to mesh well. Close to essential but not quite.

EL- ADVISABLE Reviewer: Stephanie Elementary School Librarian & Author.

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