TALES OF WONDER WOODS

A youngster befriends a talking tree in a magical California forest in Smith’s debut middle-grade novel.

Ten-year-old Val Martin, an Irish Filipino boy living in the small town of Grass Valley, makes a surprising new friend: Spruce, a tree in Wonder Woods, located near Val’s home. Spruce not only can talk, but also sometimes pulls up his roots to walk around. Val keeps the existence of Spruce a secret from everyone he knows except for his cousins, who visit him regularly. The boys discover other amazing things in the woods, including long-necked dinosaurs they can ride. Spruce protects Val and his cousins from various dangers, including bears, and keeps them from getting lost in the dense forest. But although Wonder Woods is a magical place, it’s not immune to ordinary threats; lumberjacks, for instance, try to clear-cut the area, which Val fights by making a case to the city council. He and his friends also take an active role against deer hunters. Meanwhile, back at home, Val lives with a loving mother but greatly misses his father, who works abroad and sends money home to the family. Much of Smith’s short novel is episodic, featuring Val in a range of adventures and misadventures; at one point, for example, an unpredictable baby donkey wreaks havoc with the Martins’ front-yard holiday manger scene. But for the most part, the stories take place in the woods and involve Spruce, which gives them continuity. This educational, sometimes-profound narrative includes a discussion of the Trail of Tears as well as a rundown of the environmental benefits of trees, which include providing oxygen and reducing the incidence of flash flooding. Some readers, however, may wish that the story had a little more magic in it. For example, it’s revealed that squirrels also talk (at least to Spruce), but there’s only a moderate focus on all the other wonders that the forest may hold. Still, Spruce’s paternal nature further enriches the story of Val’s wish to have his own dad back home.

A heartfelt and entertaining tale of supernatural chums and family drama.