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Darkwood

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Darkwood
by M. E. Breen
273 pages
juvenile fiction
New York : Bloomsbury, 2009

Welcome to Howland, where you don't want to be outside after dark. And dark falls fast and sudden here. One second it is light, the next pitch black for there are no moon or stars. The people know of the moon, but several centuries ago it disappeared. Now night time is ruled by the Kinderstalk, fearsome creatures known to steal and eat small children in the darkness. Annie overhears her uncle's disturbing plans for her so she escapes into the darkness. With the help of her two cats she is actually able to survive a night in the forest! With no family and no place to call home, Annie embarks on a perilous and exciting adventure to find out the secret of The Drop and the true nature of the Kinderstalk.

Annie is a headstrong young girl who grows up as she journeys through the forest. While parts of the story are predictable and typical of fantasy adventures, there are some unexpected twists and turns! A book to be enjoyed by boys and girls in upper elementary and higher. Darkwood is the authors first novel, hopefully the first of many!
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