Tree Girl

*warning, major spoilers* T.A. Barrons writing carves a magical story about Anna, a 9 year old girl who desperately wants to know of her past, though all the fisherman she lives with will tell her is that he found her under the branches of the High Willow, which now seems to call to Anna. He forbids her to ever go into the forest, for fear she will be torn apart by the murderous "tree ghouls" But one day when the fisherman is out at sea, the curiousity gets the best of Anna, and she wanders into the forest, where she finds only magic and beauty. She soon befriends a bear cub, who later turns into a boy who claims to be a "tree spirit". Anna's new friend takes her to the high willow, but the fisherman finds her and furiously drags her back home, and forbids her to leave the cabin. Anna one day realizes how very much her fingers look like willow branches, long and thin, and how the high willow calls so longingly to her, and suddenly figures out exactly where her mother is. But when her tree spirit friend returns to take her back into the woods, in trying to prevent Anna from going the fisherman injures himself badly on an ax, and Anna must choose between the man who fathered her since before she could remember, and her destiny. With beautiful writing that will weave you tightly through this story of love, magic, and family, T.A. Barron will enrapture you, I couldnt put it down. I highly reccomend this book to everyone, of all ages.

Rescued as a baby by a crusty old curmudgeon of a fisherman, Anna still feels the ache of wanting to know who are her parents, and what happened to them. Her answers lie within the forest, but her mentor has warned her to stay away from it. It is a dark, dangerous place, haunted by spirits who could destroy her, as they did her parents.Yet, this gentle soul is also brave, and she must learn the truth. What lies ahead will amaze her, for her quest will give her more answers than she was looking for, ones about not only her parents, but about who she is herself.***** With this book, Mr. Barron reaches out to a younger audience than many of his books appeal to. It is, as are his other works, heart warming and insightful. What struck me most is the affirmation of the importance of one's heritage and parents in a time when young people learn earlier and earlier to rebel. If you loved the story ANIMAL FAMILY by Randall Jarrett, this book will speak to the same place in your soul.

Young Anna -- short for Rianna -- has never known the truth about her past. She has always lived with a cranky master next to a haunting, beautiful forest. Warned of the terrible tree spirits that are said to haunt the forest, Anna becomes more determined than ever to find the truth about the mysterious forest. Befriending a bear who is much more than he seems, Anna becomes drawn to the intrigue and mystery of the forest and its creatures. The forest contains many dangers and secrets, but she has a desire to unlock the secrets of her past. But will that mean endangering her life -- and more than she knows? Tree Girl, a wonderful new fantasy by T.A. Barron, the author of the Lost Years Of Merlin quintet. It is a thrilling, wondrous read that I highly recommend.

Anyone who's read "The Ancient One" and the Merlin books will know that TA Barron is a dedicated lover of nature. In his first work since the epic Merlin series, Barron returns to those roots (pun intended) in a delightful, smaller tale that any fan of his style will enjoy.A young girl named Rowanna lives in a seaside cottage with an old man named Mellwyn, who found her abandoned under a tree when she was a baby. She is determined to find her mother and her past, but Mellwyn warns her that the forest around the High Willow is haunted by tree ghouls, which supposed are carnivorous, sharp-clawed creatures in their "dark and shrieking groves." Despite his warnings, Anna makes her way closer to the forest, and befriends a tree spirit. Even so, Mellwyn's protection starts to suffocate Anna as she searches for the truth. Disregarding his claims about terrible creatures in the forest, she ventures in to the High Willow on Hallows Eve. She soon finds that there are no tree ghouls, that Mellwyn has been keeping her outside the forest for a reason ? and finds who and what she is.As always, Barron doesn't resort to cheap tricks, strained plot twists or bids for character sympathy. He simply lets the story unfold in a very simple but beautiful way, with his usual excellent prose lacing the storyline. In size and complexity, this may be a little more suited to kids intimidated by the 300-plus books that he has penned before, but will give them a taste of Barron's writing. Speaking of his writing, it is less detailed than his books for older kids, but it retains the metaphors that help make his writing so unique: "faded like a footprint in the sand," "painted as bright as shells."Anna herself is reminiscent of Rhia from the Merlin series, with her nature-oriented viewpoint and deep compassion for other creatures, such as the part with the little sparrow she rescues. It hints at her nature long before actually revealing who and what Anna is, without making her seem too peculiar. Mellwyn easily could have become a stereotype, but is thankfully saved from that. And despite the lesser role of Anna's friend he remains three-dimensional as well.It's significantly shorter than all of Barron's prior 9-12 works, but is still an excellent read for people who enjoy his works. Read and enjoy.

As a small baby, Anna was found by a fisherman in the forest, at the base of a great willow tree. He took her to his small cottage by the sea to raise, and now, nine years old, Anna wonders just what happened to her parents. Mellwyn, the fisherman, insists that the fierce ghouls inhabiting the forest must have killed them. But Anna's curiosity gets the best of her, and one day she wanders into the forest, only to find a world of magic and beauty, not evil and danger. When Mellwyn discovers that she has been to the forest, he forbids her ever to go there again. But Anna feels compelled to return, and especially feels drawn to the willow tree, where she believes she will finally solve the mystery of her origins. I highly reccomend this enchanting fantasy novel.