THE CHANGELING CHILD

Saga and her demi-fae friend, Alfred, are caught in the middle when a proposed new tourist attraction threatens to touch off a dangerous clash between the human and faerie realms.

The enterprising Mayor Underwood, first introduced Into the Faerie Hill (2023), is back with a new project, and the iron story poles he’s heedlessly erected to mark the chosen site have devastated parts of the faerie realm. The key to getting the land’s human owner on their side involves finding a child who was mysteriously taken as a baby 12 years before. Alfred, whose limb difference doesn’t affect his special abilities in the water, returns to Faerie through a magic stream to search for him. Meanwhile, Saga undertakes a perilous climb to protest the scheme and defuse the impending crisis by pulling up the offending markers. While the contrast between the outgoing eco-warrior Saga and her introverted counterpart livens their relationship, it’s the magical cast that infuses the tale with equal portions of danger and charm—from the proud but sometimes murderous high faeries to a particularly malicious pair of pixies to Mr. Tumbleweed, a twiggy tree sprite who serves as Saga’s fierce if grumpy protector. The conclusion hints at further expeditions to come. Saga is lacking in physical description, Alfred has olive skin and dark hair, and the other fae and demi-fae are fantasy diverse.

Fairy magic and family issues come together in this absorbing adventure.