Into the Woods. by Lyn Gardner - Softcover

Gardner, Lyn

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0552554596 ISBN 13: 9780552554596

Publisher: Corgi Books, 2007

Synopsis

Taking inspiration from numerous fairy tales and weaving them into a wholly original story, Into the Woods is a whirlwind of a novel, full of imaginative happenings, dastardly deeds and thrilling adventure.

Our guides are sisters three: Storm, Aurora and Anything Eden. Accidentally orphaned and left to fend for themselves in a decaying mansion on the edge of the wilds, they come to the very much unwanted attention of the sinister Dr DeWilde: a scar-faced gentleman with a pied waistcoat and an unhealthy interest in rats. He's after a tiny little musical pipe that Storm has inherited, and he'll stop at nothing to get it.

Fleeing into the woods, our courageous and eccentric sisters evade kidnap (almost), resist the temptation of sweet-filled orphanages (nearly!), and begin a treacherous journey across raging rivers, over mountains of ice, through deathly silent ghost towns and beyond the lairs of child-eating ogresses. With ravenously hungry wolves snapping at their heels every step of the way!

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From School Library Journal:

Starred Review. Grade 5–9—This gothic, wildly adventurous romp through the dream country of fairy tales celebrates the power of sisterhood. The Eden girls—beautiful, domestic Aurora; bold, reckless Storm; and baby Any—live at Eden End, a dilapidated estate near a rat-infested village in a setting that vaguely resembles rural Victorian England. On her deathbed, their mother bequeaths Storm a pipe, whispering "Beware of its terrible power." A year later, their grief-stricken father departs on a mysterious expedition, leaving a note that warns Aurora to be careful on her 16th birthday. Enter the mysterious, evil Dr. DeWilde. He wants the pipe. He and his ravenous wolves chase the sisters from their home and pursue them across a landscape familiar to readers of European myths, fairy tales, and fantasy. Elements of "The Pied Piper of Hamlin," "Rapunzel," "Hansel and Gretel," "The Snow Queen," and many other tales figure in the story. The breathless plot, which pulls readers into an escalating series of dangerous situations, hairbreadth escapes, bitter defeats, and surprising triumphs, is grounded in the realistic personalities of the sisters. As their relationship develops, they appeal to readers as much for their flaws as their strengths. Grey's black-and-white illustrations, interspersed with the text, advance the action. A descendant of Joan Aiken's The Wolves of Willoughby Chase (Doubleday, 1963) and its sequels, this book is distinguished by a strong, descriptive style. It should have wide appeal as a family read-aloud or absorbing read-alone.—Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams
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About this edition

• Publisher: Corgi Books
• Publication date: 2007
• ISBN 10: 0552554596
• ISBN 13: 9780552554596
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 427