Gr 4–7—As a young girl, Prue McKeel first noticed the Impassable Wilderness on her father's map of Portland. When Mac, her baby brother, is abducted by crows and taken there, Prue and her friend Curtis bravely set out and discover Wildwood. Curtis is captured by coyote soldiers, and the bureaucratic government of South Wood refuses to help Prue. Curtis meets the Dowager Governess, former Governess of South Wood, who becomes his enemy once he discovers her sinister plan to sacrifice Mac to the Ivy. Prue, directed by Owl Rex, leader of the Avians, goes to North Wood to speak to the mystics. Prue and Curtis must unite the rest of Wildwood against the Dowager Governess to save Mac and all of Wildwood. Colin Meloy's fantasy (Harper 2011) creates a striking new world peopled by unique and fascinating human and animal characters. Amanda Plummer perfectly voices the untamable quality of the creatures of Wildwood and the tenacity of Prue. Meloy has created a tale that combines fantasy, an eco-fable, and a coming-of-age story. Have the book available so listeners can peruse Carson Ellis's fantastic illustrations that perfectly capture Meloy's fantasy world. Listeners will eagerly await the sequel. Give this to fans of John Stephens's The Emerald Atlas and Trenton Lee Stewart's The Mysterious Benedict Society.—Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY

Gr 4–7—After defeating the Dowager Governess in Wildwood (2011), Prue McKeel is happy to be at home with her family and Curtis is content with his life as a bandit. All that changes when the two find out that they are being hunted by wolf assassins. The revolution they helped start in South Wood is close to collapse and someone has placed a bounty on the heads of Prue and her friends. After the death of the Elder Mystic, Prue learns that she has a powerful destiny and that she must somehow reanimate the mechanical prince before the other side does or it could mean the end of Wildwood. On top of all this, Curtis's sisters, who he left behind to join the bandits, are trapped working in a machine parts factory. The sisters could hold the key to Prue's success, but the two sides are not destined to meet in this book. At times the story is heartbreaking, but the characters are resilient and strong. The ending is not a happy one, but it holds the promise of hope for the future. Colin Meloy narrates his own story (2012, both Balzer + Bray), eloquently capturing the accents and personalities of his characters. Fans of the first book as well as those who enjoyed Trenton Lee Stewart's "The Mysterious Benedict Society" series will be drawn to the vocabulary, moral dilemmas, and clever humor here.—Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KY