Bordhi, Cat. Treasure Forest.BORDHI, Cat. Treasure Forest. Penguin, Ace. 288p. map. c2003. 0-441-01369-4. $14.00. SA In this mysterious fantasy, Lily inherits her mother's house in Cedarwood. Although her husband is in favor of the move, Lily is scared to return to her childhood home. On the other hand, Lily's children miss their visits with Grandma Daphne Daphne, in Greek mythologyDaphne (dăf`nē), in Greek mythology, a nymph. She was loved by Apollo and by Leucippus, a mortal who disguised himself as a nymph to be near her. When Leucippus betrayed his sex while bathing, the nymphs tore him to pieces. and are ecstatic about the possibility of living near the forest. Along with the will, Grandma Daphne leaves a letter for each of Lily's children and includes instructions for the letters to be opened privately by each child. Lily's son Ben opens his letter right away and finds that it contains a riddle about retrieving treasure from a pond. The riddle intrigues Ben, who knows he can solve it if he can only explore the forest in Cedarwood. Lily's daughter Sara refuses to open her letter until she is alone in the forest. Youthful inquisitiveness and perseverance prevail in this simply told yet enchanting tale as Lily agrees to move to Cedarwood for one year, stating that if she even gleans a hint of danger, the family will immediately leave. Even before the family arrives, odd occurrences abound in Cedarwood, as Daggett, a strange hermit hermit [Gr.,=desert], one who lives in solitude, especially from ascetic motives. Hermits are known in many cultures. Permanent solitude was common in ancient Christian asceticism; St. Anthony of Egypt and St. Simeon Stylites were noted hermits. Many extreme Franciscans (Spirituals) of the 13th and the 14th cent. were hermits, among them Pope St. Celestine., tries to destroy Daphne's house and Archie, Grandma Daphne's lawyer, receives eerie phone calls. Daggett is certain to capture readers' interest with his highly inventive living arrangements and his past history with Daphne.Centering on the magical and spiritual forces in nature and within us, this fantasy provides a lightly suspenseful tale while offering readers a breezy, entertaining read. This title is the first in a planned trilogy and is also the 2004 winner of the Nautilus Award for YA fiction. Ginger Armstrong, Prin. Lib. Assoc., County PL, Chesterfield, VA S--Recommended for senior high school students. A--Recommended for advanced students and adults. This code will help librarians and teachers working in high schools where there are honors and advanced placement students. This also will help extend KLIATT's usefulness in public libraries. |
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