Willa of the Wood (Willa of the Woods, #1) (Willa of the Wood, #1)

by Robert Beatty

[leahrosereads]

This was a very enjoyable, entertaining book, and it gave me some serious nostalgia Fern Gully vibes. However, I felt like there were certain aspects missing that could've helped bring this book next level. The biggest being that I wish there was more world-building. That part of the book felt rushed.

That said, Willa was a fantastically developed character. So brave and loyal and everything I like to see in a character. I also appreciated how dark this middle grade story was. There's death and pain and serious hardships that the characters have to overcome. When adding in the moral and environmental aspects, it made for a telling story. One that I'm happy exists for kids to read.

I'll definitely be interested in seeing where this story goes next, and I look forward to trying out some more of Mr. Beatty's backlist.