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While rummaging through the enchanted Crooked Forest for mistletoe, young Willow and her mother, Luna, are separated as Aidan, a human, is chasing them. Alone and uncertain of her mother's fate, Willow's shock is warmly interrupted by the entrance of a mesmerizing fairy dog, Gyzmo, a Pembroke Welsh corgi determined to cure his friend's broken heart. What ensues is a series of adventures that take the duo from their meeting with the delicate water fairy Dewdrop at the headwaters of Sleeping Creek to the dream lodge in the Cave of the Crystals. At every turn, Willow and Gyzmo learn what true strength is, with each plot twist pushing Willow closer to her call to action.
Though a children's fantasy story, Franks delivers one powerful message after another focused on the intense, intimate, and inevitable connection to nature, where true magic lies. Achieving harmony not just among humans but all creatures in nature is a theme prevalent throughout the narrative. Ironically, it is Willow, a Shun (tiny beings that hardly measure six inches), who gains the courage and bravery to lead. By contrast, humans like Aidan practice cunning and refuse to see the impact of their own decisions beyond their own gains and losses.
Impeccable worldbuilding spearheads this imaginative tale of Shuns, humans, and the magical beings of the Crooked Forest. Like many tales of fantasy, there are memorable archetypal characters like the Mystery Woman of the Hills, who plays the role of the oracle or seer. Similarly, the characters are all rooted in truth as they support Willow's coming-of-age journey toward embracing her destiny as the face of the Shuns. More than anything else, the author delivers a free-flowing narrative with endearing characters and a thought-provoking storyline that readers of all ages will relish.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review