The Secrets of Underhill

January 1, 2025
A strong-hearted girl confronts powerful forces of greed and environmental abuse. Eleven-year-old Nick Sixsmith and her mother, Theo, pause their itinerant lives as arborists to return to Mistwood, the home of the ancient, magical ironwood trees. Frustrated by their inability to determine the cause of a rapidly spreading blight, Theo returns to the home she abandoned before Nick's birth to look for clues in the ancestral Heart Grove. Nick and her 12-year-old cousin, Oliver, along with their friend Lizard, become enmeshed in disturbing mysteries surrounding the Forestry Company's new mill. Soon, they must fight to protect not only these magnificent trees, but also the whole city. Aided by the maligned inhabitants of Underhill, including Lizard, whose underground homes in the caves formed by the roots of the ironwood trees are threatened, the extended Sixsmith family goes to battle, hoping to prevent an environmental and social disaster brought about by unmitigated avarice. This warmhearted fantasy set in a rich world of magical botany and strong family bonds will appeal to newer fantasy fans; more experienced readers may find the character development predictable and yearn for greater emotional depth and complexity, livelier dialogue, and more showing rather than telling in the narration. Fortunately, Nick is a likable protagonist, the plot is well paced, and the timely messages come across without too much heavy-handedness. Most main characters are cued white; Oliver has light-brown skin. A solid fantasy for nature lovers seeking gentle tales. (map)(Fantasy. 10-14)

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January 1, 2025

Gr 4-6-In an era where young people are increasingly grappling with environmental and societal injustice, Wallace's novel can help contextualize those feelings. In this world, literal magic is woven into nature, and people dedicate their lives to understanding and preserving it. Nomadic Nick and her arborist mother are investigating a blight impacting magical ironwood trees, a mystery that seems to be pointing toward a history of corruption and destruction by the powerful Forestry Company. The Company has long blamed the Underhillers, a much maligned and misunderstood class of people, who Nick is beginning to befriend, and soon, defend. Although this story tackles heavy themes of oppression and equity, it is a cozier, slower read. Nearly 100 pages go by before significant drama occurs. This book is not without its moments of excitement, especially as Nick gets deeper into the inner workings of the Forestry Company; however, the pace and the thoughtfulness of this title may require some hand-selling to find the right audience. VERDICT This socially conscious fantasy should appeal to fans of Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon and Christina Soontornvat's A Wish in the Dark.-Alexandra Quay

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