Tale of the Flying Forest

Romero (Death’s Country) mixes fairy tale, Jewish lore, and homage to German poet Rainer Maria Rilke in this family-driven fantasy about 11-year-old Anne Applebaum, who’s lonely following her mother’s death. Losing herself in The World to Come, a fictional fairy tale collection that her mother shared with her, Anne—who has always felt that something was missing from her life—is receptive when a talking raven reveals that Rainer, her dream twin brother her mother used to tell her about, exists, albeit “in three different pieces,” in the dangerous region of the east. She soon sets out to find Rainer’s parts, make him whole, and bring him home. Quotations from Rilke and Jewish prayers and blessings are sprinkled throughout, and sections from The World to Come accompany Anne’s encounters with characters from her book, including the Birch Witch, a magical baker turned villain, whom Anne must battle to rescue Rainer and save her own village. An omniscient third-person narrator directly addresses the reader, creating an ambiance of intimate storytelling as faithful and persevering Anne undergoes the traditional travails of a hero’s quest, spun with both a feminist and Judaic twist. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. (Oct.)