Out of the Woods: A True Story of an Unforgettable Event

In this haunting story about a 1914 incident from the childhood of Bond%E2%80%99s grandfather, four-year-old Antonio Willie Giroux lives in the lakeside hotel his mother runs in Gowganda, Ontario. Antonio spends his days helping staffers and walking in the forest, where he catches only glimpses of wildlife%E2%80%94with hunters and lumberjacks afoot, %E2%80%9Cthe safest place for animals was a distant, hidden one.%E2%80%9D Bond%E2%80%99s (The House That George Built) richly descriptive language and sepia-toned illustrations work in tandem to conjure the remote, densely wooded setting. A raging forest fire%E2%80%94which Antonio hears %E2%80%9Croar like a monster and crackle with white lightning heat%E2%80%9D%E2%80%94threatens the entire town, whose residents dash to the lake for safety. A strange tranquility descends as they stand in the water and watch animals exit the burning forest to take refuge alongside them%E2%80%94%E2%80%9CWolves stood beside deer, foxes beside rabbits. And people and moose stood close enough to touch.%E2%80%9D A story valuable both as a glimpse into a bygone way of life and a record of a surreal, singular moment. Ages 5%E2%80%939. Agent: Judy Sue Goodwin Sturges, Studio Goodwin Sturges. (July)