SEVEN WAYS THROUGH THE WOODS

When the forest beckons, pick your path with a pinch of magic.

At the edge of the woods, you peer into darkness and prepare to choose the best way through. Perhaps you’ll stick to the well-worn path; it’s lovely, though somewhat dull. If instead you want to ride a griffin, don’t forget to offer it a gift first. Or perhaps stowing away on a moss giant is more your style? Tuck yourself into her lush green hair and enjoy the slow ride. You could always take the sprite tunnels (they’re great fun, but the journey will last a century or more). Readers can take six whimsical ways through the forest, but only the most adventurous of travelers might want to seek a seventh. “You do? Excellent. I knew I was right about you.” The real wonder is found within the woods, not on the other side, notes the unseen narrator, who invites readers to stay awhile. Reese’s spare, second-person prose in playful conversation with the audience adds an interactive element to the story, numbering and describing the different ways forward. Kurtz’s gorgeous and positively glowing painterly digital illustrations steal the show. Her expert use of light and texture creates a rich, magical world of wonder within the forest. Among the adventurers are children with various skin tones and hair textures; one child has a cochlear implant.

Mossy, majestic, and marvelously meandering, this lush forest labyrinth is brimming with magic at every bend.