Download Willa of the Wood Robert Beatty 9781368005845 Books

Product details Age Range 10 - 13 years Grade Level 3 - 7 Lexile Measure 920L (What's this?) Series Willa of the Wood (Book 1) Hardcover 384 pages Publisher Disney-Hyperion; First Edition edition (July 10, 2018) Language English ISBN-10 9781368005845

Willa of the Wood Robert Beatty 9781368005845 Books Reviews

• I am a 13 year old boy (using his mom's account with her permission to post a review) and yes I have read all of Robert Beatty's books but none of them were quite like Willa of the Wood. Willa was different than Serafina in alot of ways but was still an easy to love character. The story was enthralling and made me want to turn the page and read more. There were no dull moments and the entire story was worth every minute I took to read it. I actually read the entire book in less than 24 hours and I stayed up all night reading and no, I don't usually binge read books! Actually this was my first binge read. I know some boys are turned away from books because the main character is female but I think this should be an exception regardless of your gender. Mr. Beatty does not write like any other authors, the way he writes draws you into the story hook, line and sinker! He weaves a tale and you can personally relate to the characters and by the end you feel like you were a part of the story. I also recommend the Serafina Series written by Mr. Robert Beatty.
• I received an advanced reader copy of Willa of the Wood which is the first of a new series for middle school students written by author Robert Beatty.
  
  Mr. Beatty shares Willa’s perspective as he weaves a magical story that blends the life of this young night spirit into the rich local history of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Cherokee people. Willa lives with her 137-year-old mamaw who is one of the last surviving woodwitches from the dwindling clan of Faeran people. This 12-year-old girl has the ability to blend into her forest surroundings and can communicate with nature. Willa has a great respect for her heritage and is determined to preserve the old ways of her clan.
  
  In the beginning of this action-packed mystery, Willa unwillingly has become her clan’s best thief. She is forced to go out and steal from the human day-folk each evening, by the padaren, who is the fearsome and selfish clan leader.
  
  This intriguing story evolves with increasing suspense as Willa’s loyalty and strength of character is evident as she makes important decisions during her interactions and encounters in an enchanted forest with trees, the river, wolves, bears, deer, otters, homesteaders, Cherokee people, her own clan, and the frightening newcomers with the huge destructive “iron machines” that are “murdering trees.” Willa shows great maturity, compassion, and loyalty as she faces one life-threatening event after another while trying to protect those she loves. She is very brave and is able to “stay bold,” just as the character Serafina does in Beatty’s related Serafina series.
  
  Willa is an inspiration for those of us who may need a reminder to respect nature and our environment. She learns how not to be judgmental and offers great lessons in kindness and unselfishness. 
  
  Robert Beatty has again given his readers a gift with his words. His writing is lyrical. The imagery simply lifts me into the setting where he describes the mountain, “. . . white mist of the Smoky Mountains breath floated near its rounded top out across the world . . .” I still think about the “. . . great healing lake of the bears. . .” that he so beautifully described. I continue to think about the lake that “. . . felt as if the light of the sun had become liquid . . .”  
  
  I strongly recommend this book as an especially great read aloud for families or classroom use. The various science, history, and cultural themes make it a wonderful book for classroom teachers and this book will be an excellent resource for teaching context clues. Willa of the Wood
• The fact that my kids beg and plead for me to read another chapter of this book every night and are willing to forego TV so I can read more to them warrants 5 stars. Plus, Robert Beatty is a beautiful writer to the point you can visualize the scenes in each chapter.
  
  However, I feel conflicted as a parent when it comes to the content. This book, while it does contain some good, well-written and moving messages about family, hope, overcoming fear and love, it also has some very dark and disturbing parts including violence, kidnapping, abuse, and murder, all of which frankly, make me feel like a marginal parent - kind of like giving my kids a Snickers bar for dinner when I should be offering a salad (just a hypothetical here).
  
  So, in truthfulness, I struggle with whether the content of the book is outweighed by the fact that my kids’ passion for reading and constant discussion and chatter about what they think will happen next in the book has been sparked by this author, darker content and all.
  
  Parents know their kids best, but the jury is still out for me. I definitely think this author is best for the tween or older crowd, although I know my 8 year olds would vehemently disagree!
• As I was sitting in my chair, with my black cat Serafina in my lap. I have to admit that I was somewhat disappointed that Beatty's new book "Willa of the Wood" would be introducing a new character and it would not be a continuation of the Serafina stories. However, as I began to read I realized that this was going to be an amazing adventure! With the same descriptive detail that Beatty described the Biltmore Estate, he has continued this with his depiction of Willa and the world in which she lives. Willa is an ever-changing and lovable little spirit. Her daily life is full of sadness,chaos, and unimaginable circumstances. Willa is able to overcome these obstacles with the gifts from the forest, courageous animals, and love.The story has as many twists and turns as the river that flows through the forest.To my surprise, I did recognize an old friend or two along the journey! When you think all is lost, something happens and changes Willa's life forever, so have a tissue in hand, After reading this book, I can't decide which character I want to hear more about next...either way I know I won't be disappointed. Can't wait!