Children's Literature
- Claudia Mills
In this fourth installment of Hale's well-loved Books of Bayern series, Razo's younger sister, Rin, has a special affinity with the trees of her beloved forest, able to "listen" for their "calming green." But the growing self-doubt of adolescence causes Rin to become estranged from her beloved trees as well as to feel homeless even within her loving home. Rin leaves the forest to follow Razo to the city, where she joins with Isi, Enna, and Dasha (heroines of the previous three books) to defend Isi's kingdom from a subversive menace — and along the way discovers her own magical gifts, which come with their own curse and blessing. Hale's reputation as a master storyteller is well deserved. Readers will ache for Rin, the overly good girl haunted by fears of her own inescapable inner badness; they will chuckle along with Razo's lighthearted banter, savor the growing friendship among the band of four brave and spirited girls, flinch at the evil adversary's truly horrific punishments of those who displease her, and cheer both for Isi's ultimate triumph and for Rin's long-overdue realization of her own wonderful self-worth. This is an empowering book for girls—and for everybody. Reviewer: Claudia Mills, Ph.D.
School Library Journal
Gr 7–11—In her fourth fantasy about the land of Bayern, Hale has created a strong stand-alone companion to The Goose Girl (2003), Enna Burning (2004), and River Secrets (2006, all Bloomsbury). Forest Born centers on Razo's sister, Rin, and her special abilities. The struggle that she goes through as she begins to recognize her talent of persuasion and her elemental connection to the forest brings the typical fantasy themes of good vs. evil to a place that makes them very personal. Rin discovered as a child that her words could be powerful. But that power left her feeling confused and wrong. Since that time, the wrongness has curled up like a snake inside her, making her doubt whether she can ever find peace. Rin encounters Isi, Enna, and Dasha from the previous Bayern stories and through them she finds hope; perhaps what makes her different could be a blessing, if she is able to find balance in her gifts. Lurking throughout the story is the tumultuous backdrop of diplomatic negotiations and threats of war. Everything finally comes to a head when Isi's nemesis from Goose Girl returns and kidnaps her son. All four women need to work together to defeat Selia, who has been completely corrupted and consumed by her people-speaking power of persuasion. Fans of the earlier titles as well as admirers of the genre will find Rin's journey a compelling read.—Genevieve Gallagher, Buford Middle School, Charlottesville, VA
Kirkus Reviews
Hale, like her readers, has clearly been enchanted with the characters she brought forth in her Books of Bayern (The Goose Girl, 2003, etc.). This fourth volume centers on Razo's little sister Rinna, who adores her Ma and her siblings' babies and finds peace among the trees but cannot get her words and feelings right. When Rin is 15, Razo brings her to the castle where he is guard. Rin finds a place caring for the two-year-old princeling and learns from Isi, the queen who can control the wind. Isi, Enna, who wields fire, and Razo's own Dasha, who hears water, are immediately called upon to save a fragile peace. Rin's inner demons-connected to powers she does not yet grasp-are fascinatingly explored. An evil nemesis rises again from an earlier tale, and while she is not as fully drawn as the other characters she will be recognized. One doesn't need to have read the earlier books to become enraptured by this one, but doing so adds to the richness of these very satisfying tales. (Fantasy. 12 & up)
