The Woods

In this haunting novel set in 1947 Texas, Lenora, 12, struggles with grief and denial after her immediate family dies in a terrible accident. Sent to live with a reclusive uncle she’s never met, she clings to the hope that her parents and siblings might still be alive as she reluctantly adjusts to life in a sprawling ancestral manor. Barred from participating in aloof Uncle Richard’s mysterious scientific pursuits, Lenora turns her attention to the nearby forbidden magical woods, which have claimed lives, according to family lore. The wondrous creatures and tantalizing marvels she finds there compel her, and Lenora must choose between the real world and dangerous enchantments, even as her uncle plans to destroy everything. Reminiscent of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s The Secret Garden in its elemental plot points (young orphan, reclusive uncle, mysterious manor house, a transformative green space) and rooted in the tragic 1947 explosion in Texas City, this story moves slowly from the mundane to the magical. The leisurely narrative is weighed down somewhat by an abundance of plot elements, but Toalson (The Colors of the Rain) offers an evocative exploration of loss and recovery in this engaging, lyrical fantasy. Ages 8–12. Agent: Rena Rossner, Deborah Harris Literary Agency. (Sept.)