2014-12-06
This fantasy follow-up to A Path Begins (2014) continues the story of 12-year-old Kara Westfall and her brother, Taff, who escape their village by riding the mare Shadowdancer into the surrounding Thickety. Tension picks up from Chapter 1, as the siblings flee through the forest. The children fall asleep on horseback and wake up in a huge meat-eating plant called a gritchenlock. Luckily, Kara remembers a trick their mother taught her that makes the plant drop them. Landing at the feet of the infamous witch Mary Kettle, Kara has to—reluctantly—accept the old witch as a guide and teacher. The siblings must evade monstrous animals; cross the Draye'varg, a dangerous mound of boulders that create dangerous simulacra; and, finally, destroy Imogen, a terrifying, tentacled predator. And then there is the Forest Demon….The unexpected climax and ending guarantee another book to enjoy. Readers new to the series will catch up quickly thanks to White's adept incorporation of back story. This title has all the ingredients—a doughty heroine and her admirable younger brother, an unreliable guide who can't stay the same age for long, and a heavy "ick" factor—to keep readers glued to it. (Fantasy. 11-15)
The Thickety: The Whispering Trees is a thrilling sequel: a whirlwind of suspense and twists. J.A. White isn’t just a fantastic writer and storyteller - he spins myths that feel as old as the Thickety itself. A must-read series for every age.” — Soman Chainani, New York Times bestselling author of The School for Good and Evil
“With a plot that coils like a tangle of brambles and an ending no less twisty than that of its predecessor, this sequel will keep readers invested in Kara and Taff’s adventures in this dangerous and imaginative world.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“The twisted plot is perfectly matched by the twisted atmosphere. . . . Spine-tingling.” — Booklist (starred review)
“An exceptionally well-written and compelling sequel.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
“This title has all the ingredients-a doughty heroine and her admirable younger brother, an unreliable guide who can’t stay the same age for long, and a heavy “ick” factor-to keep readers glued to it.” — Kirkus Reviews
“The nail-biting suspense will keep readers turning the pages late into the night, and in Kara, readers will find a protagonist to root for. Readers who enjoyed the spine-chilling first installment will be eager to get their hands on this sequel.” — School Library Journal
Praise for THE THICKETY: A PATH BEGINS: “The spellbinding story, lashings of suspense and stalwart heroine will draw in fantasy fans and keep them reading until the bitter ending.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“White creates a fantasy world with creatures that are anything but sweet and his prose is evocative without being dense. Absolutely thrilling.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“White’s debut novel is darkly bewitching. The well-crafted characters operate beautifully within the fantastical world he has created. Readers will devour each twist and turn of the plot, right up to the startling conclusion.” — School Library Journal
“The Thickety is a sinister, magical debut with a marvelous and shocking heroine. J.A. White’s elegant writing and masterful plot kept me turning pages late into the night.” — Lisa McMann, author of the New York Times bestselling The Unwanteds series
“A startling plot twist at the end will have readers urgently waiting for a sequel, and it may lead them right back into the book to see if they missed earlier clues.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
