Blackberry Fox

A tween crosses into an alternate fantasy world in this enchanting adventure by German author Tordasi. While visiting her great-aunts Bramble and Rose in North Wales, 12-year-old Portia Beale awakens to find a fox rifling through her aunt’s desk. After Bramble chases it away, Portia discovers a key hidden in a secret compartment. Portia soon meets Ben Rees, whose mother insists that he show Portia around. But Ben is waylaid by an injured blackbird, and Portia, noticing the fox from earlier, follows it to a door in a clearing. Portia unlocks it using the key and enters the Borderlands, which separate the human and fae realms. Meanwhile, Ben’s blackbird turns out to be a tiny bird-man named Ridik who informs Ben that the fox is a shape-shifter, and that he’s woken the dreaded Gray King whose fog turns people into vacant shells. Following Portia into the Borderlands, Ben, accompanied by Aunt Rose, must seek the help of Queen Titania before Portia—and both worlds—are lost to the Gray King’s wrath. Tordasi makes up for somewhat bland characterization with inventive, articulately constructed, and lushly described worldbuilding steeped in Welsh mythology. Characters default to white. Ages 10–up. (June)