Tree Shepherd's Daughter

February 1, 2008
Gr 7-10-With her pointed right ear, forest-green eyes, and mysterious wood allergy, 15-year-old Keelie Heartwood has always been a bit unusual, but she has ignored her unique attributes. Then her mother dies, and she is uprooted from her Los Angeles home and transplanted in the Colorado woodlands. Her estranged father, Zeke, is a carpenter who sells his wares at Colorado's High Mountain Renaissance Faire, and Keelie is forced into a world in which knights fight for honor, pirates cavort, and festivalgoers are "mundanes." When her strange allergy begins to act up, she discovers that she can sense the energy of trees and hear them calling to her for help and realizes that her supposed allergy was her mother's attempt at concealing her true identity as half elf. Like her father, Keelie is a tree shepherd, responsible for guiding and healing tree spirits. The appearance of a malicious red-capped dwarf tests her powers as he terrorizes the festival and threatens the safety of Keelie's new friends and family. An amorous Pirate Randy, a charming elven knight, and a troublesome yet wise cat color the narrative while moving the plot along. The dialogue is only slightly marred by several "yos," "dudes," and "girlfriends" that sound more like an adult trying to sound like a teen. Readers will overlook this flaw as the constant action, both magical and otherwise, will keep them interested in Keelie's fate. This first installment of a trilogy ends with a solid resolution that answers questions but leaves room for further adventures."Danielle M. Margarida, Sharon Public Library, MA"

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