Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book 1 by Colin Meloy

A Tangled Tale

            When Mac, Prue Mkeel’s brother, is swept up by a flock of crows, Prue is forced to trail them into a forest aptly named the “Impossible Wilderness.” Rescuing one baby brother isn’t so easy. Entanglements with evil tyrants and talking coyotes delay things. Against such odds, even with the help from bandits and mystics, the question is, will she make it before her brother is sacrificed to a plant by a power-hungry governess? 
             I thought this book had a perfect mix of comedy and adventure action. The characters were both likeable and realistic, making the story believable. I thought the bandits in the story were an interesting twist on the typical, all-good protagonist model. The bandits fulfill the expectation of good/bad protagonists as they steal from good South Woods citizens while they bring down a tyrant. There is a twist in the ending that seems to sum up the story perfectly. Also, many people will enjoy the avid description in the story and realistic characters. Parents should be cautioned there is some swearing in the story, but I would definitely recommend this to other tweens.
5 Star Favorite!