Into the Woods

I stumbled upon this book, purchasing it by impulse (I can't contain myself when I come in contact with fairytales!). I was not disappointed. This is by far the best fairytale I have read in such a long time. The book had everything- adventure, mystery, frightening parts, along with sisterly bonds that were unbreakable! Even though there were hints of other tales mentioned here and there, entwined within the story- Into the Woods is a story all in itself that I couldn't put down. I was enthralled at Lyn Gardner's creativity from beginning to end, and loving how she was able to keep the feel of an old-time fairytale within the pages of something so new and original. It will, like other reviews mentioned,be loved mainly by girls, as the story focuses around three main characters who are sisters. However, there is enough scare, wolves, and an evil Dr. to entertain the boys as well! Plus, it is just one of those stories that will intruige those of all ages. I am 31, and loved it, and can't wait to read it to my little girls who are 4 and 6. I wish Gardner would write another!

This is a great book to read out loud. It's a fun fairy tale about three sisters that need to take care of themselves, as their parents are pretty much doing their own thing (like eating bon-bons and traveling without their kids). Along the way, they get into many adventures: running away from wolves, living in a house made of cookies and sweets, and trying to rescue their younger sister that got kidnapped (along with hundreds of other children). If you are reading it out loud to a small child, I might skip over chapter 12 "a game of bones" as it doesn't add anything to the story, but does talk about a ghost, which may be too scary for little kids. Other than that, it is a great enjoyable read with lots of adventure.

"Look after it, Storm... It's not a trinket. Whatever you do, don't let it fall into the wrong hands." Storm Eden isn't inclined to take her mother's dying words too seriously. After all, Zella Eden was not a very serious woman. She never did much of anything other than sleep, gaze at her own reflection and eat chocolate truffles in bed. Plus, the tiny musical pipe she pressed so urgently into Storm's hand doesn't look terribly powerful. It looks like a pipe. And a cheap one at that. But then the wrong hands her mother warned of come knocking on the door of Eden End. hands that belong to the sinister Dr. DeWilde, a scar-faced gentleman with an unhealthy interest in rats. He wants that pipe, and he'll stop at nothing to get it. With no parents to protect them, Storm and her sisters, Aurora and Anything, have no choice but to flee into the woods -- with Dr. DeWilde's hungry pack of wolves snapping close at their heels and a host of new dangers awaiting them in the shadows. Featuring wonderful illustrations by the award-winning Mini Grey, Into the Woods is a classic tale with a very modern twist that will delight readers of every generation. ~ from the book's cover ~

Lyn Gardner's INTO THE WOODS tells of Storm Eden, whose dying mother gives her a warning she ignores - until a small musical pipe and a strange man with a passion for rats threatens her world. Storm and her sisters have to escape him, and their journey through the woods will bring new dangers into her life.

I have it on good authority that this book is very appealing to readers (ages 9-12) for which it was intended, but I'd like to speak to its appeal to adults as well. Adults who like to see classic fairy tales become a part of new stories, and adults who enjoy theatrical allusions (from Webster to Beckett) should delight in this book. Reading Into the Woods should very well help to produce a literate audience of young people, some of whom will delight in recognizing allusions to works they know.