Official Review: Secrets of the Home Wood by Julie Whitley
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[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Secrets of the Home Wood" by Julie Whitley.]
[rbc=4]id61013-125[/rbc]
Jonathon lives on a farm with his parents and grandfather, but the woods nearby are off limits for reasons Jonathon doesn’t fully understand. He knows that his father once went missing in the Home Wood as a pre-teen, but no one ever speaks about it anymore. Imagine Jonathon's surprise when he witnesses his father stalking into the Home Wood one morning. So he does the only thing a boy his age can do: he follows. Deep inside the Home Wood, he suddenly finds himself in a fantasy world like he never expected, with talking rabbit-like creatures on the brink of war against a shattered nation soon to face mutiny. Jonathon just wants to find his dad, but unbeknownst to him, his father has come into the Home Wood in search of Jonathon's mother. The three of them must reunite and help out their new friends.
This book follows all three main characters: Jonathon, David (Jonathon's father), and Sarah (Jonathon's mother). The story jumps from one character to another in each chapter with very clear labels about which character is being followed, starting from when they first entered the portal that transferred them into the fantasy world. At first, I found this a bit confusing because Sarah’s story came later in the chapters but actually happened three days prior to the previously told events. Eventually, the time lines all catch up with each other, which makes the story much easier to follow. This is the only negative comment I have to make about this book.
The book is attention-grabbing and exciting from the very first page. As the story progresses, even more action comes into play, and I often found myself on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what would happen next. This fantasy world that Whitley has created is imaginative and unique, but thoroughly explained and described in such a way that it is easy to picture. The characters, even the “bad guys,” are well-rounded and fun, with a relatable character for readers of most ages. Children will like the smart and brave Jonathon, while parents and grandparents can relate to David and Sarah, who just want to protect their family.
I especially love the way the book was wrapped up. It has a very satisfying conclusion, yet it is open-ended enough to allow for a sequel or two. There is also room for a prequel as well, if the author chooses to expand on David’s story about his first trip into the Home Wood when he was Jonathon's age. I would be very interested in reading any future stories connected to the characters introduced in this book.
While the staggering story lines did confuse me a bit at first, I realize that piecing together the different timelines of the story is half the fun of reading the book, and my minor confusion did not hinder my enjoyment at all. I give Secrets of the Home Wood: Sacrifice a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. This is the kind of book I would like to see teachers recommend in classrooms to encourage vocabulary development in young readers while still allowing them to enjoy what they read.
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Secrets of the Home Wood
View: on Bookshelves
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Jonathon lives on a farm with his parents and grandfather, but the woods nearby are off limits for reasons Jonathon doesn’t fully understand. He knows that his father once went missing in the Home Wood as a pre-teen, but no one ever speaks about it anymore. Imagine Jonathon's surprise when he witnesses his father stalking into the Home Wood one morning. So he does the only thing a boy his age can do: he follows. Deep inside the Home Wood, he suddenly finds himself in a fantasy world like he never expected, with talking rabbit-like creatures on the brink of war against a shattered nation soon to face mutiny. Jonathon just wants to find his dad, but unbeknownst to him, his father has come into the Home Wood in search of Jonathon's mother. The three of them must reunite and help out their new friends.
This book follows all three main characters: Jonathon, David (Jonathon's father), and Sarah (Jonathon's mother). The story jumps from one character to another in each chapter with very clear labels about which character is being followed, starting from when they first entered the portal that transferred them into the fantasy world. At first, I found this a bit confusing because Sarah’s story came later in the chapters but actually happened three days prior to the previously told events. Eventually, the time lines all catch up with each other, which makes the story much easier to follow. This is the only negative comment I have to make about this book.
The book is attention-grabbing and exciting from the very first page. As the story progresses, even more action comes into play, and I often found myself on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what would happen next. This fantasy world that Whitley has created is imaginative and unique, but thoroughly explained and described in such a way that it is easy to picture. The characters, even the “bad guys,” are well-rounded and fun, with a relatable character for readers of most ages. Children will like the smart and brave Jonathon, while parents and grandparents can relate to David and Sarah, who just want to protect their family.
I especially love the way the book was wrapped up. It has a very satisfying conclusion, yet it is open-ended enough to allow for a sequel or two. There is also room for a prequel as well, if the author chooses to expand on David’s story about his first trip into the Home Wood when he was Jonathon's age. I would be very interested in reading any future stories connected to the characters introduced in this book.
While the staggering story lines did confuse me a bit at first, I realize that piecing together the different timelines of the story is half the fun of reading the book, and my minor confusion did not hinder my enjoyment at all. I give Secrets of the Home Wood: Sacrifice a rating of 4 out of 4 stars. This is the kind of book I would like to see teachers recommend in classrooms to encourage vocabulary development in young readers while still allowing them to enjoy what they read.
******
Secrets of the Home Wood
View: on Bookshelves
Like ALynnPowers's review? Post a comment saying so!
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