ASTERWOOD

Can a social misfit help rescue a magical forest that’s under threat?

Ten-year-old Madelyn Delios prefers the woods behind her single dad’s farmhouse to school. She explores there on her own—even though she’s not supposed to leave the backyard by herself—and befriends blond, violet-eyed Calle, who, oddly, recognizes Madelyn’s name. Later, seeking Calle down a trail her father has expressly forbidden her to take, Madelyn discovers Asterwood, an endangered, magical forest. The Tree Eaters are killing the rare Violet Aspens and harvesting their magic. A group of wilderness-dwelling children with violet eyes and diverse skin tones are trying to heal the trees and evade forest-dwelling cannibals. Madelyn, who previously knew nothing about her mother, learns shocking information about her parents—and her own potential powers. Stolos’ young readers’ debut is an environmentalist cautionary tale that features creative worldbuilding, evocative descriptions, and memorable characters. Details about the cannibals—a crown made of human bones, their roasting of human meat on a spit (“charred and glistening, a fatty cut, like pork but not quite”)—add touches of horror. Most compellingly, the story explores conflicting emotions: Madelyn and the Asterwood children yearn for their parents, despite some of the adults’ appalling choices. Less compelling is Madelyn’s confusing chosen one status and the unanswered questions about the logistics of Homesprawl, the greedy Tree Eaters’ city. Madelyn’s family is cued white, and Calle uses they/them pronouns.

A dark and creative fantasy that explores themes of love, betrayal, and the environment.