Into The Woods

Gardner, Lyn. 2007. Into the Woods.

Originally published in England, Into the Woods is a fun little fantasy novel about three sisters--Any, Storm, and Aurora--and the adventures they have together after their mother's death and father's disappearance. What stands out about Into the Woods? Well, you'll notice right off that it weaves various fairy tales together--Rapunzel, Pied Piper, Sleeping Beauty, Hansel and Gretel, etc. This is a popular genre in today's fiction, and it is easy to see why. Familiar characters and motifs explored in fun and often new ways make for an enjoyable read. Storm is our narrator. She is human. She's not perfect. Her judgment isn't always right on. But she has heart. Same goes with her older sister, Aurora. Like any sibling relationship, this one has plenty of tension and plenty of history. There are fights galore, but at the heart of it all the sisters do love one another. Any is the strangest one of all to figure out. Her mother died shortly--very shortly--after Any's birth. For the first six months or so, this baby girl was just baby. It was only later that the sisters decided to name her. And her official name is Anything. Any's strange 'gift' is the ability to talk--fluently as an adult--though she isn't much more than one year old. Before her mother died, Storm was given a pipe. A musical pipe and told to take care of it and use it in times of need. She's not quite sure what the pipe is 'good for' but as the tale unfolds, the danger becomes evident. This is a fun story filled with danger as three children go into the woods to escape the wolves at the door. Their resulting journey is quite exciting and should hook readers early-on.