The Mystery of the Tree Stump Ghost

January 1, 2018

Gr 2-4-Three sisters live with their grandfather, the Guardian of the Forest. The girls differ in appearance; Maya is pale with pink hair and antlers, Mia is a yellow-eyed humanoid cat with blue fur, and baby May is pale with red eyes and orange hair. May doesn't speak much, but her thought bubbles show that she understands what is happening. While their grandfather is out helping some forest creatures, a fox arrives asking for help for her kit who has fallen down a hole, so the girls decide to lead a rescue. Their trip seems like Alice's journey down the rabbit hole as they venture underground and find strange creatures living there. Could they be the cause of the mysterious holes in the forest and the ghostly sightings? The illustrations feature big-eyed characters, cotton candy colors, and friendly woodland inhabitants. There is no backstory given about the girls or their grandfather, and the problems they are working on dovetail almost too neatly by book's end. After the trek through the underground tunnels and all the mysteries in the forest, the ending feels contrived. VERDICT Slightly weak on plot and character development, but could be an additional purchase for fans of adventures in the vein of The Powerpuff Girls.-Suzanne Costner, Fairview Elementary School, Maryville, TN

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November 15, 2017
Three sisters investigate a mysterious tree stump in their newest graphic adventure.In this follow-up to May's Wild Walk (2017), the Whiskers sisters--Mia, a yellow-eyed, teal-blue cat; pink-haired, antlered Maya; and orange-haired, pink-eyed baby May--find their quiet night with their forest-guardian grandfather interrupted when a talking forest creature comes seeking his help. After Grandpa leaves, a fox then shows up also imploring Grandpa's assistance, as her kit has fallen into a hole. With Grandpa gone, the girls set out to help. Will the girls be able to find the baby fox and solve the mystery of both the hole and the enigmatic stump? Adorable whimsy flows sweetly throughout this volume; fans of all things pink and cute will enjoy this niche read with its pleasing, candy-colored palette and occasional, luscious two-page spreads. However, a hasty-feeling plot with an overly tidy resolution makes the worldbuilding feel rushed and disjointed. The real connection to be made here is through the illustrations, as readers are kept at arm's length from any real character development: the sisters are merely stylized objects with little personality. Although it is the second in a series, this volume holds up well as a stand-alone adventure, and for those who can get lost in the sugary-sweet art, it makes for a fine jumping-in point.Visually appealing but uneven. (Graphic fantasy. 6-10)

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