FINDERS OF SILVERTHORN FOREST

Max, a freckle-faced, chestnut-haired young human, and Tuftorious Snook, a small, foxlike Finder clad in dungarees and a stripey scarf, develop a trusting friendship during a time of great change for them both.

Finders are furry creatures who collect lost objects and live by their unbreakable Golden Rule: “Finders Keepers.” Lately they’ve been consumed by the rapid approach of Doomsday, whose date the elders found long ago in an ancient message. Max’s grandmother is leaving her cottage in Silverthorn Forest, and Max and Mum have arrived to help her move in with them. Seventy years ago, Grandma buried a time capsule, planning to open it on the next solar eclipse—which turns out to be her moving day. She asks Max to retrieve it, but she can’t remember where she buried it. As Max digs in the woods, he meets Tuft, and the two new friends help each other, while dodging the other Finders, who are suspicious of people. Most dangerous of all, however, is the greedy developer who plans to pave over the cottage and woods. Heart-stopping close calls lead to a satisfying conclusion. Chivers Khoo’s engaging, descriptive language immerses readers in the imaginative, enticing world of her series opener. Catalán’s lush, detailed black-and-white illustrations evocatively capture the characters and the bucolic British setting. Readers will root for these unlikely friends and wish for their own secret place like Silverthorn Forest.

A delightful fantasy told with tenderness and wonder.