THE CROOKED FOREST

Franks explores themes of resilience, reinvention, and friendship in this nature-based third installment of a fantasy series.

The story centers around Wynter, a woman who leaves her husband, Aidan, after discovering that he was deceiving her and was involved in activities that harmed the environment. In the Crooked Forest, a shapeshifting hare named Kai crosses paths with Wynter and leads her to a “strange and surreal world,” where a fairy named Pumpkin Berry cares for Wynter while a windstorm rages outside. After the storm passes, Wynter leaves and stumbles upon the hut of Old Mother Troll. She, along with an owl, teaches her how to perceive deception. Meanwhile, Aidan catches Luna, a little person known as a Shun, illegally gathering mistletoe and tries to stone her before she escapes. Luna’s health deteriorates without the mistletoe, so a Corgi friend named Sir Gyzmo sets out to find some. In the forest, he encounters the Green Man, who saves Luna’s life. In the final chapter, Wynter confesses to her new friend Luna that she’s lost faith in love. Luna shares her own failed relationship story but advises Wynter that “Broken love can be like broken glass. You will only hurt yourself trying to put the broken pieces back together.” The book closes with Wynter, Luna, Luna’s daughter Willow, and Sir Gyzmo forming a chosen family. Among the book’s creative mythical creatures and storylines, Franks sprinkles in fun facts, such as that “hares can run more than forty miles per hour and can jump up to ten feet in the air.” The narrative also offers lessons about emotions, as in a description of grieving Aidan, who “felt stark and gloomy, like a tree that has shed all its leaves and is left naked and unprotected.” Frank’s earth-toned illustrations enhance the spooky, otherworldly atmosphere. However, some of the talk about relationships may prove too mature and unrelatable for younger audiences, and the book’s numerous characters, locations, and backstories often make for a chaotic narrative.

A fairy tale with imaginative characters and engaging artwork that might have benefited from a tighter narrative focus.