Beyond Mulberry Glen

January 1, 2025
In Florence's middle-grade fantasy novel, a young girl's heart is tested in the face of an evil, spreading Darkness. Eleven-year-old Lydia, "freckle-cheeked and round-eyed, with hair the color of pine bark and fair skin," is struggling with the knowledge that she has reached the age to apprentice as an herbalist. Lydia is reluctant to leave her beloved, magical Mulberry Glen and her cozy Housetree in the woods--she'll miss Garder, the Glen's respected philosopher; her fairy guardian Pit; her human friend Livy; and even the mischievous part-elf, part-imp, part-human twins Zale and Zamilla. But the twins go missing after hearing of a soul-sapping Darkness that has swallowed a forest and is creeping into minds and engulfing entire towns. They have secretly left to find a rare fruit that, it is said, will stop the Darkness if thrown into the heart of the mountain that rises out of the lethal forest. Lydia follows, determined to find the twins before they, too, fall victim to the Darkness. During her journey, accompanied by new friends, she gradually realizes that she herself has a dangerous role to play in the quest to stop the Darkness. In this well-crafted fantasy, Florence skillfully equates the physical manifestation of Darkness with the feelings of insecurity and powerlessness that Lydia first struggles with when thinking of leaving the Glen. Such negative thoughts grow more intrusive the closer she and her friends come to the Darkness--and to Lydia's ultimate, powerfully rendered test of character, which leads to a satisfyingly realistic, not quite happily-ever-after ending. Highlights include a delightfully haunting, reality-shifting library and a deft sprinkling of Latin throughout the text; Pit's pet name for Lydia ismea flosculus ("my little flower"). Fine-lined ink drawings introducing each chapter add a pleasing visual element to this well-grounded fairy tale. An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.

COPYRIGHT(2025) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

January 1, 2025
Grades 3-6 Lydia is content in the cozy confines of her beloved glen. She has no desire to leave her fairy guardian or impish elven twins, the Zs, to take on an apprenticeship in a faraway town. She's also anxious about tales of Tenebrae, a forest entirely consumed by the Darkness, a fearsome force that steals life and light as it creeps into the kingdom. When the Zs disappear, Lydia suspects they've gone to rid the land of the terrible force, and despite her reluctance to leave home, she knows she has to help her friends. Armed with hope and a pocketful of mysterious seeds, Lydia steps into the wider world and prepares to confront her greatest fears. The friendly fantasy exudes a warm charm, offering cozy details and kind companionship while actively acknowledging the inherent darkness of life and the challenge of embracing change. Splendid black-and-white illustrations start each chapter with a sweet touch, and Latin phrases add a bit of whimsy. A radiant reminder that there is always light to be found, even in the deepest Darkness.

COPYRIGHT(2025) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.