The Forest Yet To Come by Sam Thompson

What worked:

The book is reminiscent of folktales, as Reynard is a trickster, fooling villagers with his silver tongue. He’s actually a fox in disguise and an expert at manipulating others with his words. He entertains young ones with tales that are embedded with truth. Listeners think they’re amusing stories without knowing he’s revealing hints about his personality and intentions. One story talks of a lazy fox conning the other animals into building a huge house, while another tells of a lion trying to challenge the fox’s control over the animals. The plot evolves into a blend of reflection, exploration, and discovery.

Sally and her brother Faolan emerged from the forest ten years earlier without remembering their pasts.  Villagers call Faolan wolf-boy, and Sally becomes wolf-boy’s sister. Sally is troubled by not knowing of her past, which makes her desperate enough to be tricked by Reynard. Shadow people are summoned when the villagers need help, and Reynard wants to know how they do it. This decision results in problems for Sally and Faolan, as they’re exiled from the village. However, their paths will not be what readers expect, and surprise revelations are to come.

Reynard is the most intriguing character, as readers won’t know what to expect. He can be described as devious in the previous two books, so can readers trust that he’s looking out for the children’s best interests? He seems sincere and curious around the villagers, but it’s clear he has untold plans on his mind. He often responds to Sally’s questions with questions of his own or ambiguous answers. Readers are aware of his past trickery, so it’s almost impossible not to expect the same this time around.

What didn’t work as well:

The story evokes deep thoughts, and young readers may not be ready for this type of thinking. The children reach a cave of dreams, which will cause readers to interpret and rationalize the events they see. Some young readers may not be prepared for this type of critical thinking.

The final verdict:

Readers loyal to the series may be surprised by the tone of this book. The plots in earlier books were easier to understand, but this one is still interesting and thought-provoking. I recommend you check this book out for yourself.