Are you in or close to Sequim?
Monday, October 17, 6—9pm: OTA Open Mic Night: Free Admission
(at Olympic Theater Arts, on Sequim Avenue)
I’ll be reading from The Curse of the Neverland, among all kinds of performances by local talent. Great entertainment, great people!
I love trees.
I live in the Pacific Northwest among ancient old growth trees, I write about the Never Tree, … I think trees are amazing, powerful, peaceful, wise beings.
Tales of trees are a big hit with me. When trees are woven into the main theme—as in today’s book recommendation: Jinx, by Sage Blackwood—I’m a happy reader. (Jinx is the first book in a children’s fantasy adventure trilogy; all three books have been published, no waiting required!)
Here’s the summary:
“A young boy named Jinx encounters magic and danger as he grows up in the deep, dark forest known as the Urwald and discovers that the world beyond —and within—the Urwald is more complex than he could imagine.”
Some of the things Jinx shares with Piper Pan: the experience of being an outsider, having hidden talents that need to be coaxed out and slowly discovered, allies (like the Merry Band) that share his adventures, a stubborn drive to succeed no matter what, and a truly “worthy opponent” who must be faced and overcome. Instead of a cranky fairy like Belle, Jinx has a curmudgeon wizard as an (occasionally questionable) ally.
Sage Blackwood’s characters are well drawn and likeable, his fictional world believable, and the plot and pace swift and engaging. But my very favorite thing is that the trees of Urwald talk, and Jinx is The Listener—the only one who can (or takes the time and effort to) hear them. I’d like to be a Listener, too!
Not that the stories are alike, but speaking of tales of trees, I am reminded of a book for grown-ups by Ursula LeGuin, a favorite admired author of mine, entitled The Word for World is Forest. If you are in the mood for something denser than children’s fantasy, pick it up. LeGuin’s world shares the vital connectedness of Blackwood’s Urwald.
Whether you pick up Jinx, The Word for World is Forest, or another tale of trees at your library this week, as always, I wish you Happy Reading!