Children of the Forest
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
Two siblings set off for adventure in the untamed wilds... of their own backyard.
Pairing a serious text with charming illustrations that show the mundane truth of the kids' adventurous roaming, Children of the Forest is an ode to imaginative play and the wild fun you can have while staying close to home.
We are wild.
We are children of the forest.
We were raised by wolves.
Grabbing a bow and quiver, a kid sets off, toddler sister in tow, to live off the land-- in the expanses of their own backyard. First, they sneak past their snoozing father to pilfer supplies from the refrigerator, but only what they need. After that, they’re utterly on their own.
Out in these uncharted spaces they encounter many dangers, from a ferocious mountain lion (a house cat) to a hulking canine beast (their dog). When the sun dips low, they make a camp complete with defenses to ward off predators.
Matt Myers’s cool self-serious text is juxtaposed with whimsical art depicting the playful antics of backyard life, making for a tale full of delight for imaginative children.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Two pale-skinned siblings confront outdoor life with unusual bravery in a sly backyard adventure. Invoking the vibe of classic children's book protagonists, the narrator wears a green hoodie and totes a bow and a quiver full of arrows; the other, Sister, sports a red knit cap. Despite a solemn spread that shows the narrator gazing at the outdoors ("What will become of us?...All we know is that Mother Nature will take care of us"), the scheme is quickly revealed as make-believe, and very, very close to home. On second glance, the quiver might be an old oatmeal box; Sister stomps in mud puddles and chews on tent poles. Myers (Dino-Gro) makes the most of the contrast between the narrator's dramatic voice-over and spreads that show what's really happening as the children sneak into their house for sustenance ("We are silent, like the wind"), stand up to a puma (their cat), and wrestle a wild beast (the family's St. Bernard). Pencil and watercolor illustrations offer high-energy encounters, while fantastical shrub-creatures that lurk in the background contribute to the fantasy feel. Myers writes with sharp wit, making exemplary use of the picture book format by employing tension between what readers hear and what they're shown. Ages 2–5.
