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Book Review: The Thickety: A Path Begins by J. A. White

The Thickety: A Path Begins by J.A. White, illustrated by Andrea Offermann

Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of Harper Collins, 2014

ISBN-13: 978-0062257239

Available:  Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle edition

Welcome to De’Noran, a village reminiscent of a Salem-era town, where witch hunts are a village event.  Those familiar with M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village will find De’Noran to be its evil twin: a secluded village cut off from The World and full of condemnation and heavy-handed rules. In De’Noran, children are raised under the laws of their founder, Timoth Clen, who taught that magic is the ultimate evil, and that village inhabitants should never enter the Thickety– the dark and ever-encroaching forest separating De’Noran from The World.

A Path Begins immediately pulls readers into a dark and sinister story of good and evil, sadness, secrets and family bonds. The hero is quiet, self-reflective 12-year-old Kara Westfall who, as a five year old, witnesses the brutal murder of her mother at the hands of the villagers within the first few pages of the book. Kara is left to deal with the aftermath of being the child of a condemned witch: a father who is emotionally scarred, a sickly younger brother, a farm that is primarily hers to tend to, and the constant torments of the villagers.

A Path Begins is full of heavy, dark imagery and frightening events. It is not a light read. However, it is also full of a wonderful depth of both character and storyline. It is easy to feel the pain that Kara is left with at her mother’s death and the protective nature she feels toward both her father and her brother. The story maintains a steady pace and is full of intrigue, secrets and stunning revelations that make it difficult to put down. Through it all, characters are required to make difficult choices between compassion and personal gain.

The cover illustration is a perfect fit for the story, dark and enchanting with ominous tones. The dark simplicity of the chapter opener line art adds just enough visual effect to connect with the storyline.

The Thickety: A Path Begins is not for children who are easily frightened, but will be a very compelling read for those who are looking for an age-appropriate, scary tale. Recommended for ages 10 and older.

 

Contains: Violence, witchcraft

Reviewed by Heather Hurley

Posted on May 1, 2015 by , Reply

Children’s Books and the Presence of Death

 

“The first thing you do is kill off the parents”. It’s a standard beginning to many stories for and about children. Parents want to protect their children, and for the main character to start on his or her journey, and overcome obstacles independently, the parents have to go.

Sometimes the parents are just absent, out of selflessness, or self-centeredness, or fear.  Percy Jackson’s mother sends him away to prevent monsters from finding him; Ella, from Gail Carson Levine’s Ella Enchanted, is left behind while her merchant father travels; Medusa, in the Goddess Girls books, is totally neglected by her parents because, unlike her sisters, she is mortal. And sometimes their absence helps to drive the story:  in A Wrinkle in Time, Meg and Charles Wallace travel through space and time to rescue their father; and without the sacrifice Harry Potter’s parents make to save him, he wouldn’t be The Boy Who Lived.  It’s hard to tell a story about growing up without exploring both love and loss.

Adults worry a lot about fantasy violence– battles against mythical monsters or in unbelievable worlds. But the key word there is “unbelievable”.  R.L. Stine has said that when he writes for children he makes sure that there is no way they will carry over their fears into believing that what has happened in the books could take place in real life. When a gifted writer immerses us in intense emotions, it’s much more powerful, and sometimes scarier than anything supernatural.

Children’s literature is filled with death and violence– it’s inescapable. As adults who love children and want to protect them, and who want to share our love of reading, that can be really hard for us to handle.  But I think it’s really important that we trust kids to tell us what they can handle. It’s really wrenching to read some of these books with my kids right now. It’s honestly the books that aren’t marketed as horror, or even scary, that make a real emotional impact. The Monster Kid won’t stay in the room if there’s any kind of realistic death that takes place in a book, although the mayhem in the Percy Jackson books doesn’t bother him, and he’s a fan of Goosebumps. His sister sobbed through parts of Ella Enchanted after Ella’s mother died, but insisted I keep going. Tiffany Aching’s long meditations on her grandmother’s death, in The Wee Free Men, didn’t touch her as deeply. Upon learning that the parents of the main character die at the beginning of The Secret Garden, though, she decided to pass. We’ll get there someday, when she’s ready.

As uncomfortable as it can be to share some stories, it’s a great disservice to developing the reading life of a child to completely avoid the darkness. The kids already know it’s there.

 

Image credit: Through the door to The Secret Garden. From The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Posted on March 28, 2015 by , 2 comments

Book Review: 43 Old Cemetery Road: Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise, illustrated by Sarah Klise

43 Old Cemetery Road: Dying to Meet You by Kate Klise, illustrated by M. Sarah Klise

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009

ISBN-13: 9780547398488

Available:  Hardcover, Paperback

The first book in the 43 Old Cemetery Road series, Dying to Meet You focuses on three main characters: Eleven-year-old Seymour Hope, living on his own at the Spence mansion; Ignatius B. Grumply (I. B. Grumply), a famous author of ghost stories for children; and Olive C. Spence, a ghost living in the Spence mansion. The premise of the story is that I.B. Grumply has rented the Spence mansion from Les and Diane Hope for the summer, hoping that a change of location will help him overcome a case of writer’s block. Unbeknownst to him, they have abandoned their eleven year old son Seymour and his cat, leaving them in the care of Mr. Grumply. Also unbeknownst to Mr. Grumply, the home’s former owner, Olive, still inhabits the old house as its resident ghost.

The story is cleverly told entirely as a series of correspondence between the three main characters and a handful of acquaintances. Through typed letters, handwritten notes, and local newspapers, we get to know each of these characters and watch as their relationships evolve. The story is not overly complex and is easy for young readers to follow, but is also very witty and includes quite a bit of humor. The illustrations, presented to the reader as drawings by 11-year-old Seymour, are well-suited to the book’s structure. Every character has a cleverly scripted name that is perfectly matched to the character’s personality and the general storyline. For instance, I. B. Grumply begins the story as a very grumpy loner represented by a literary agent named Paige Turner. The local real estate agent is appropriately named Anita Sale. Other minor characters include local librarian M. Balm, pet store owner Barry A. Lyve, and grocer Kay Daver. Humorous quips are also worked into each article (and ad) that is included in the newspaper pages scattered throughout the book. Readers who take the time to read each snippet in the papers are rewarded with a few extra chuckles.

The structure of the book makes it a quick read as the notes and letters between characters are generally not lengthy. Throughout the book, we are able to see the relationships of the characters grow and watch them form a unique family as they learn how to care for one another.

The book targets young readers 9-12 years of age. Readers who enjoy a tame ghost story would find this book a very entertaining read. The seventh and final installment in the series will be released April 2015.

 

Reviewed by Heather Hurley

Posted on February 16, 2015 by , Reply
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