Happy Sunday! We're lucky enough to have a few cooler days after the week long heat. Now, if it would only rain. Farmers are never satisfied with the weather, by the way. It's a great day to head outside, lean back, and just enjoy several last summer days before autumn weather settles in. And that also means it's a great day for an enjoyable read.
If today's read qualifies as one to grab up?
ELF DOG & OWL HEAD
by M.T. Anderson
Illustrated by Junyi Wu
Candlewick Press
Middle Grade Fantasy
240 pages
ages 8 to 12
A Newbery Honor Book
A magical adventure about a boy and his dog—or a dog and her boy—and a forest of wonders hidden in plain sight.
Clay has had his fill of home life. A global plague has brought the world to a screeching halt, and with little to look forward to but a summer of video-calling friends, vying with annoying sisters for the family computer, and tuning out his parents’ financial worries, he’s only too happy to retreat to the woods. From the moment the elegant little dog with the ornate collar appears like an apparition among the trees, Clay sees something uncanny in her. With this mysterious Elphinore as guide, he’ll glimpse ancient secrets folded all but invisibly into the forest. Each day the dog leads Clay down paths he never knew existed, deeper into the unknown. But they aren’t alone in their surreal adventures. There are traps and terrors in the woods, too, and if Clay isn’t careful, he might stray off the path and lose his way forever.
A magical adventure about a boy and his dog—or a dog and her boy—and a forest of wonders hidden in plain sight.
Clay has had his fill of home life. A global plague has brought the world to a screeching halt, and with little to look forward to but a summer of video-calling friends, vying with annoying sisters for the family computer, and tuning out his parents’ financial worries, he’s only too happy to retreat to the woods. From the moment the elegant little dog with the ornate collar appears like an apparition among the trees, Clay sees something uncanny in her. With this mysterious Elphinore as guide, he’ll glimpse ancient secrets folded all but invisibly into the forest. Each day the dog leads Clay down paths he never knew existed, deeper into the unknown. But they aren’t alone in their surreal adventures. There are traps and terrors in the woods, too, and if Clay isn’t careful, he might stray off the path and lose his way forever.
MY TIDBITS
When a secret realm accidentally leaks into the modern world, an exciting adventure is guaranteed.
Clay escapes the monotony of life by heading into the forest, but when a lovely and somewhat odd dog appears, boring is the last thing his future holds. Elphinore is a royal dog from the realm beneath the mountain...a realm which no person knows exists. The dog isn't only intelligent but leads Clay down invisible paths, where he discovers not only hints of magic but beings, which can't really be real. One, an Owl Head child, becomes his friend, and soon Clay realizes, he's going to need all the friends he can get.
This is an easy adventure to sink into and mixes the dreams of fantasy nicely with the familiarity of the modern world. The two worlds run parallel to each other, almost always flipping back and forth through forest visits. But not always, and that adds a humorous tension which guarantees some smiles.
Clay comes across as a normal kid, who's just dealing with usual life. No extra baggage or issues, which is refreshing. His excitement is easy to understand as he finds Elphinore and is happy to have a pet as his own, especially with the reactions of Clay's siblings and parents. There's just enough family goodness to add needed security and warmth, while still letting the story take flight. But then, Clay's siblings do get tugged into the adventure, steering the plot into the wonders of brotherly and sisterly relations...with the good and more difficult moments. And the friendship with Owl Head brings it's own lovely messages concerning friendship.
The tension builds as Clay gets drawn more and more into the magical worlds, and creates a nice pacing. The beginning is a little slower as the aspects of the world sink in. This allows for solid world and character building, while side-stepping any boring moments. It grounds the fantasy well and opens the door for the variety of creatures Clay will come across. And he, as well as the reader, are in for quite the adventure because there are more than a few unexpected twists and turns.
And before I forget, there are well-done illustrations sprinkled between the pages, which make the read that much more enjoyable.
It's a fun, easy, and tension-filled adventure, which fits very well to the audience level.
And here they are...
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