Tree Girl [Hardcover]

T. A. Barron (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

Rowanna's stern caretaker has warned her again and again not to go near the trees that surround their seaside cottage. But Rowanna is drawn to the forest-especially the High Willow on its faraway hill. Are the trees really forest ghouls, as Mellwyn says? Or could they possibly hold the secret to Rowanna's past and the mother she can hardly remember? If only she could get near the High Willow, Rowanna feels certain she would understand. . . .

With its timeless forest setting and charming, whimsical characters, Tree Girl is a perfect introduction to fantasy for young middle-grade readers.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Like a mythic, more mystical Island of the Blue Dolphins, Tree Girl tells the tale of a young girl's struggle to survive under challenging conditions--and to answer even harder questions about who she is and where she came from.

Tightlipped Master Mellwyn won't say precisely who Anna's parents were, or how he came to care for her, but he emphatically warns Anna not to look for answers in the dark groves that border their lonely beachside hovel. (The forest ghouls within will "claw ye to bleedin' shreds, they will. Or crush ye, bones and all, with their graspin' feet!") But when the master leaves to fish everyday, Anna's growing curiosity can't be quelled. Especially when the distant High Willow seems to call to her, promising to reveal the mystery behind her missing mother.

Fans of T.A. Barron's other magical fables (such as the excellent Lost Years of Merlin series) will quickly get caught up in Anna's story, as she flirts with new discoveries, makes new friends, and learns the forest's most important lesson--that whatever we look for, be it good or bad, we'll inevitably find. (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes

From Publishers Weekly

Barron's (The Lost Years of Merlin) unevenly paced fantasy centers on nine-year-old Anna, who lives with a crotchety old man in a cottage near the forest. In answer to her repeated inquiries about her past, her guardian, Master Mellwyn, tells her only that he found her as an infant nestled in the roots of a willow tree. He forbids her to go into the woods, warning that evil "ghouls" live there. At the same time, she is repeatedly drawn to the sight of the High Willow, which towers over the other forest trees: "Something about this tree spoke to her aye, called to her." The chapter that chronicles the heroine's softening toward her master and her immediate about-face moves too swiftly for readers to find her abrupt changes of heart credible. The upshot is that Anna befriends a forbidden bear who suddenly transforms into a boy and announces that he is a "tree spirit." As the two bond, readers will likely piece together the lass's identity, rendering anticlimactic the moment when she discovers who her mother is. The story's confusing internal logic (Why does Anna bear a striking resemblance to the Master's late daughter, for instance?) and predictable denouement diminish its effect. Ages 8-12.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 138 pages
• Publisher: Philomel; First Edition edition (October 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399234578
• ISBN-13: 978-0399234576
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,137,118 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

T.A. Barron is the award-winning author of fantasy novels such as The Lost Years of Merlin epic--soon to be a major motion picture. He serves on a variety of environmental and educational boards including The Nature Conservancy and The Land and Water Fund of the Rockies, and is the founder of a national award for heroic children. Following a life-changing decision to leave a successful business career to write full-time in 1990, Barron has written seventeen books, but is happiest when on the mountain trails with his wife, Currie, and their five children.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Skilled nature romp, October 8, 2001

By 

E. A Solinas "ea_solinas" (MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Tree Girl (Hardcover)

Anyone who's read "The Ancient One" and the Merlin books will know that TA Barron is a dedicated lover of nature. In his first work since the epic Merlin series, Barron returns to those roots (pun intended) in a delightful, smaller tale that any fan of his style will enjoy.

A young girl named Rowanna lives in a seaside cottage with an old man named Mellwyn, who found her abandoned under a tree when she was a baby. She is determined to find her mother and her past, but Mellwyn warns her that the forest around the High Willow is haunted by tree ghouls, which supposed are carnivorous, sharp-clawed creatures in their "dark and shrieking groves." Despite his warnings, Anna makes her way closer to the forest, and befriends a tree spirit.

Even so, Mellwyn's protection starts to suffocate Anna as she searches for the truth. Disregarding his claims about terrible creatures in the forest, she ventures in to the High Willow on Hallows Eve. She soon finds that there are no tree ghouls, that Mellwyn has been keeping her outside the forest for a reason  and finds who and what she is.

As always, Barron doesn't resort to cheap tricks, strained plot twists or bids for character sympathy. He simply lets the story unfold in a very simple but beautiful way, with his usual excellent prose lacing the storyline. In size and complexity, this may be a little more suited to kids intimidated by the 300-plus books that he has penned before, but will give them a taste of Barron's writing. Speaking of his writing, it is less detailed than his books for older kids, but it retains the metaphors that help make his writing so unique: "faded like a footprint in the sand," "painted as bright as shells."

Anna herself is reminiscent of Rhia from the Merlin series, with her nature-oriented viewpoint and deep compassion for other creatures, such as the part with the little sparrow she rescues. It hints at her nature long before actually revealing who and what Anna is, without making her seem too peculiar. Mellwyn easily could have become a stereotype, but is thankfully saved from that. And despite the lesser role of Anna's friend he remains three-dimensional as well.

It's significantly shorter than all of Barron's prior 9-12 works, but is still an excellent read for people who enjoy his works. Read and enjoy.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful new fantasy tale from T.A. Barron., December 10, 2001

By 

"shayamorph" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tree Girl (Hardcover)

Young Anna -- short for Rianna -- has never known the truth about her past. She has always lived with a cranky master next to a haunting, beautiful forest. Warned of the terrible tree spirits that are said to haunt the forest, Anna becomes more determined than ever to find the truth about the mysterious forest. Befriending a bear who is much more than he seems, Anna becomes drawn to the intrigue and mystery of the forest and its creatures. The forest contains many dangers and secrets, but she has a desire to unlock the secrets of her past. But will that mean endangering her life -- and more than she knows? Tree Girl, a wonderful new fantasy by T.A. Barron, the author of the Lost Years Of Merlin quintet. It is a thrilling, wondrous read that I highly recommend.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great reading!, June 25, 2003

By 

Huntress Reviews (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tree Girl (DIGEST) (Paperback)

Rescued as a baby by a crusty old curmudgeon of a fisherman, Anna still feels the ache of wanting to know who are her parents, and what happened to them. Her answers lie within the forest, but her mentor has warned her to stay away from it. It is a dark, dangerous place, haunted by spirits who could destroy her, as they did her parents.

Yet, this gentle soul is also brave, and she must learn the truth. What lies ahead will amaze her, for her quest will give her more answers than she was looking for, ones about not only her parents, but about who she is herself.

***** With this book, Mr. Barron reaches out to a younger audience than many of his books appeal to. It is, as are his other works, heart warming and insightful. What struck me most is the affirmation of the importance of one's heritage and parents in a time when young people learn earlier and earlier to rebel. If you loved the story ANIMAL FAMILY by Randall Jarrett, this book will speak to the same place in your soul.