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hayleybeale's review against another edition
3.0
31/2 stars. This strange and eerie middle grade is a sophisticated and cerebral fantasy about alternate realities. See my full review here.
provcali's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
ryleegrieme's review against another edition
1.0
way better than i thought. took a while for me to get into, but was super good and interesting once i got about halfway in.
rkiladitis's review against another edition
4.0
Stuey is going on 9 and lives with his widowed mom and grandfather, who's his best friend. His grandfather has such incredible stories to tell about his father; a bootlegger who bought land to create a golf course and who disappeared without a trace one night. Grandpa Zach dies during an awful storm, and Mom locks away the pages of the book he was writing. There are family secrets that Zach is desperate to know about, but he puts that on hold when he meets Elly Rose, a girl his age who's new to his town. School's out, and his friends don't live nearby, so Elly and her amazing imagination sustain Zach - until something happens between their mothers; something neither of them want to discuss. Zach and Elly meet in secret in the woods, at Elly's "Castle Rose", where they share stories. One day, though, the unbelievable happens, and reality splits between the friends. Stuey and Elly Rose separately work to find one another and make things right again.
Candlewick's authors are bringing it this Fall! I've been making my way through their Fall list and have been consumed with each book on it. Otherwood is a fantastic story of friendship, secrets, and loss. We have two narratives that work readers through each main character's struggle to understand what's going on and how to fix things while peeling away the layers of secrets that engulf their families. There's some quantum physics and discussion on alternate reality that will interest science and fantasy fans, and the frustration of fighting against ingrained, linear thinking (i.e., adult thinking) will resonate with readers. Can forgiveness bring two worlds back together? Only one way to find out. Otherwood is a compulsively readable novel with likable characters and an incredible story. A definite must-add to middle grade collections, and a great book to give to your fantasy fans that want something a little more based in reality. Or that uses reality as a jumping-off point. This one's going on my Mock Newbery list. Booktalk this one with your When You Reach Me (Rebecca Stead) fans.
Pete Hautman is a National Book Award winner whose website has links to his author blog, teacher guides, and writing tips. Otherwood has starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and Kirkus.
Candlewick's authors are bringing it this Fall! I've been making my way through their Fall list and have been consumed with each book on it. Otherwood is a fantastic story of friendship, secrets, and loss. We have two narratives that work readers through each main character's struggle to understand what's going on and how to fix things while peeling away the layers of secrets that engulf their families. There's some quantum physics and discussion on alternate reality that will interest science and fantasy fans, and the frustration of fighting against ingrained, linear thinking (i.e., adult thinking) will resonate with readers. Can forgiveness bring two worlds back together? Only one way to find out. Otherwood is a compulsively readable novel with likable characters and an incredible story. A definite must-add to middle grade collections, and a great book to give to your fantasy fans that want something a little more based in reality. Or that uses reality as a jumping-off point. This one's going on my Mock Newbery list. Booktalk this one with your When You Reach Me (Rebecca Stead) fans.
Pete Hautman is a National Book Award winner whose website has links to his author blog, teacher guides, and writing tips. Otherwood has starred reviews from Publisher's Weekly and Kirkus.
hillsax's review against another edition
5.0
Kind of the Murakami of middle-grade novels. I loved the dreamy quality to this book and it has just enough twists to keep you hooked.
withthebanned's review against another edition
3.0
Otherwood was imaginative and interesting. I enjoyed the imagery and magical realism that reminded me what it was like playing in the woods behind my house as a kid. The two main characters were very sweet and I enjoyed their friendship. A sweet middle grade that was easy to read, but didn't do much to make me feel as if I couldn't put it down.
angrynerd's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Religious bigotry, Murder, and Death of parent
sarahjsnider's review against another edition
4.25
This seems spooky enough for the age range. I enjoyed it.
andreajay's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. This book was different from what I expected. It’s a little ghost-y, a little multiverse-y, and more than a little sad, but all without getting too intense. I kept wondering how the story could possibly resolve, but the end came together well.
mastermarcy's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0