Crowfield Curse by Pat Walsh

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Walsh, Pat, The Crowfield Curse. Chicken House Books, 2010. Pgs. 336. Language: PG, Violence: PG, Sexual Content: PG.

While in the forest gathering wood for the medieval abbey where he is apprenticed to, Will hears a cry for help.  He follow s the cry and discovers a trapped and wounded hobgoblin. When he rescues the hobgoblin and brings him back to the abbey, the creature talks of how normally humans can’t see him and that he is surprised Will was able to rescue him. Will soon discovers that he can see fairykind. When  strangers come to stay at the abbey, trouble begins to arise. Will learns of an ancient creature who has been buried under the graveyard and is doomed by a curse and that the monks had something to do with it. Who are the strangers staying at the abbey? What did the abbey monks have to do with the creature’s curse?  Who or what is the creature?

The plot is simplistic and not well-developed. The characters are one-sided and the book is longer than necessary. Readers who are in-between more complicated chapter books and early chapter books, however , may like this book if they like fantasy, adventure, and mystery. EL(4-6). OPTIONAL. Reviewer: Jessica M, Library Media Specialist, Olympus Jr. High