Additional information
by Aj Vanderhorst (Author)
Silver, Wishing Shelf Book Awards
Bronze, Readers' Favorite International Awards Contest
This "wildly imaginative" (Book Pipeline) "splendid conception" (Kirkus) celebrates courage, tenacity and a little skill with a battle-axe. Set in an alternate USA where magic stirs and monsters prowl, this story is told from the perspective of mostly-invisible-but-still-hopeful Casey Grimes.
Eleven-year-old Casey is stubbornly friendly, but he's eternally the new kid at Vintage Woods Middle School. Students look right through him-and they're not faking. Casey doesn't know why, but when he scales a colossal oak, he discovers an enchanted fortress in its branches.
The forgotten sentry tree marks the border between his safe, suburban life and a fierce frontier-where beasts stalk backyards and battles are as common as breakfast.
Casey and his little sister Gloria infiltrate Sylvan Woods, a secret forest society devoted to ancient, wild things. Sky-high footpaths. Survival sewing. Heroic quests. Monster control. Shockingly, people here actually see Casey-but being seen isn't enough. He wants to belong.
Keeping his identity hidden while struggling to prove he fits? Hard enough.
But Butcher Beasts have returned to Sylvan Woods after a hundred years. Trickery School is under siege. As the mythical creatures close in and the fearsome Sylvan Watch hunts Casey down, he and his newfound friends must unearth the magic buried at the forest's roots-or be devoured along with everyone else, Sylvans and civilians alike.
Book 1 in the action-packed Casey Grimes middle grade fantasy adventure series. The wit of Percy Jackson meets the creatures of Fablehaven. Perfect for fans of Harry Potter's magical world-building. Over 250,000 copies sold worldwide-a classroom favorite and family read-aloud, especially for reluctant readers who think they don't like reading. Ages 8-14.
