This book caught me completely off guard. I was expecting this to just be a quick read but it was so much more than that. The descriptive scenes in this book were just so amazing and I loved reading about the nature and all of the animals. This book also taught so many important lessons such as family, loss, power, deforestation, acceptance, rebellion, and belonging. I recommend this book to anyone and everyone.

Beatty's debut, Serafina & he Black Cloak, was at the top of my "Best Of" list for 2015 and I have devoured the two sequels so picking up Willa of the Wood was a no-brainer for me. I have come to expect lush description, clever plotting, and memorable characters from Beatty, but I was unprepared for the flat-out gorgeousness of Willa of the Wood.

Willa is a wholly original character, a member of a Faeran clan living in the Great Smoky Mountains. She is a girl who thinks for herself despite living in a brutal patriarchy, clinging to and preserving the old ways of wood magic taught to her by her Mamaw. She is curious about the "day-folk" and begins to question the hardline social structure of her clan, led by the god-like padaran. This, of course, leads to a break with the clan and a new beginning for Willa but not without some death and destruction.

To be sure, there is far more violence in this book than in the Serafina series, although there is a lovely nod to Serafina in the form of a gorgeous panther. There is also supreme gentleness and caring for nature and fellow beings - Faeran, human, and animal. One of the most interesting things here is the way in which Willa relates to and communicates with trees. To her, trees are living beings and the day-folk who slaughter them with their axes live in "lairs" made from their carcasses. Willa is saved more than once by calling on the power of trees and plants.

Highly recommended for upper grade readers.

Willa is a complex character who moves between the world of the Faeran and that of humans. She is a bridge between two distinct cultures who inherently mistrust each other. I look forward to more stories about Willa and her clan.

Willa a child of the night forest, has always believed what she has been told, that the day folk are mean and dangerous and she should stay far away from them, but at the same time she must steal better things to stay top thief and keep the approval of the padaran. But Willa's curiosity might have taken her a bit to far this time and now she doesn't know who to trust other that the animals of her beloved Smokey Mountains.

I don't want to say to much for fear of giving away some part of this awesome book, but let me say if you are expecting Serafina, than you won't find her here, but you will find another wonderful girl wrapped in Smokey Mountain lore and maybe a bit of history, just a bit, along with new and colorful friends to make along the way. If you think Mr. Beatty might have left out any of his hold your breath suspense or cheer the characters on action well don't worry, there is absolutely no shortage of either as Willa takes you on this whirl wind adventure of hers. This book is a beautiful tale sure to win the hearts of many readers, especially those of us that live near the Great Smokey Mountains, and who knows maybe it will inspire many more readers to visit this great National Park someday.
my review on my blog will post July 10

If you loved the fantasy in Serafina, you must give Willa a try. All the magic of the forests in the Smoky Mountains along with a new protagonist to love will sweep you along like the river rapids coming off the mountains. Willa is a member of the Faeran, an old clan that live in dens deep in the mountains. Once the clan had awesome powers of woodwitchery, but it has died off until few can display any of the skills of old. Willa's grandmother has been teaching her the Faeran language, but everyone in the clan also speaks some Cherokee and English. That is a lucky thing for Willa when she runs into trouble and encounters some of the homesteaders on the slopes above Gatlinburg.

This is a story full of the pull of tradition, the fear of strangers, and the value of love and loyalty. Mixed in with the fantasy elements are historical details such as the logging companies who clear cut much of the old growth forests in the mountains, the mix of homesteaders and Cherokee, the use of grist mills and even the importation of honeybees. Local wildlife and plants are lovingly portrayed, too.

A great mix for fans of historical fiction and fantasy, strong female protagonists, and existing Beatty connoisseurs. Strongly recommended for middle grades and up.

Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty was a fabulous book. Engaging from the start, the story kept at me even when I had to put it down to get some sleep. Willa is a young night-spirit who is also a woodwitch. Her parents and twin sister were killed when she was young. Willa lives with her "Mamaw" who teaches her the old ways, how to work with the trees and animals - WITH being the important word. The clan is dying, ruled by the greedy "padaran" who sends the children, including Willa, out to steal from the "dayfolk", humans who live in the forest, especially those who are killing trees and animals with logging. One night a desperate Willa ventures into the cabin of a dayfolk man and her life is never the same. She struggles to reconcile the new things she's learning about herself and the world with the padaran's new way of life that includes stealing, lying and killing the animals she considers family. This is a great book for young teens although good readers of any age would enjoy it. There was so much to get from this book, from the importance of family and friends, to a very strong message about being true to yourself and nurturing the earth and the world around you.

Even if you didn't read the Serafina series, this is a great book. Loved the unique story and suspenseful plot. Not for the faint of heart. I love how this tied into Serafina, which is one of my favorite series.

Willa of the Wood is a beautifully written fantasy. I was instantly transported to a different world, seeing, hearing, and smelling the action as I read. The prose is lyrical. Willa of the Wood would make a great read aloud in grades 3 and up, and I will definitely be purchasing copies for my granddaughters and several family friends. I think this book belongs in all elementary and middle school libraries. I loved the Serafina series, but think this is even better. Well done, Mr. Beatty!

Very different than the seraphina stories, however, very good. New main character/ceature in the shape of of young girl. Great scenery amd historical details. Lookingforward to more about willa.

Willa of the Wood is a complex, detailed story of a Faeran girl trying to make sense of her wolrd and the world outside. Willa is brave and strong. She has a strong sense of right. The characters are fully realized as is the back story. Robert Beatty does a marvelous job of creating this world. Willa is a sure win for anyone who enjoys fantasy books.

Interest Level: 3-6

What would you do if everything that you have been taught your whole life is changing, and not for the better? Would you stay and fight or run and hide? This is the exact problem that Willa is facing. Willa is not a normal twelve-year-old girl. Will is a forest girl with long, dark hair and her skin is streaked and spotted to help her blend into her surroundings. Willa's clan used to be happy people who loved and cared for the forest and its animals. Not anymore. The leader, the padaran, has formed an army of "jaetters" to go out at night and steal from the day folk, or humans. If you please him, you will get gratitude, if you don't you will get punished. Everything goes bad one night when Willa tries so hard to please the padaran that she sneaks into a human house to go thieving. The human man that lives in the house shoots her as she tries to flee and she barely makes it back to the forest. With the help of a wolf named Luthien and a great white bear, Willa makes it back to her lair. What happens next is completely unexpected and heartbreaking for Willa. She comes to find that down in the deepest parts of the lair are human children being held prisoners and starved to death. One of Willa's only ally in the lair is her grandmother. When the clan turns on her and her grandmother what will Willa do? Will she stay and fight or will she run and hide. If she runs where will she go? Can she trust the human who shot her, but showed compassion at the same time? Can she find a way to save the human children held prisoner, even though the padaran say that humans are evil? Read Willa of the Wood to find out if Willa can help her clan, her grandmother, her human friend, and even herself.

Robert Beatty is one of my favorite authors. His Serafina series is read every year to my sixth grade book club. After living with Serafina through three books I was worried about a new series from Robert. Could it stand up to Serafina? Well the answer is YES! I could not put Willa of the Wood down. It is a page-turner and you should be prepared to dive into Willa's world and stay there until the last page. I eagerly await book two!!

Another great fantasy from Robert Beatty. Fans of the Serafina series will definitely want to check out this new book, also set in the Great Smoky Mountains. Willa of the Woods has mystery and intrigue and the right balance of folklore and fantasy to keep the reader interested. Definitely a unique and creative read. Willa has a lot riding on her shoulders, can she help save the day and her people?

Willa of the Wood is on our middle school's summer book order. Students who enjoyed the Serafina series, will be excited to read this, and I imagine it will stay checked out most of the year. The fantasy/magic element is prominent without being too intricate. Readers only have to learn about a new group of beings as opposed to learning an entire new world. Located near the TN/NC border, our school library has readers with varying degrees of knowledge regarding the physical setting as well as mountain legend/lore. This book works perfect for middle grades and upper elementary, but could also be enjoyed by a wider age range as well.

This is a fantasy story about Willa who lives in the mountains of NC. She is of the Faeran clan, which is in a decline. It's harder and harder to find food and the current leader of the clan has the people out stealing from the settlers. Willa escapes and is taken in by a human, but it turns out their paths are crossing in a number of ways and Willa has to save the day. It's a good mystery story with lots of action. There are nice pieces of folklore and faeran culture that are really fun. It's a good story.