She pulled the vines aside, ripping at them. Buried deep behind the vines, she discovered a large round door knocker, bigger than her hand.
The Door in the Woods by Wendy Haynes has Enid Blyton’s Magic Faraway Tree feel to it yet also the mystery of The Enchanted Woods. It is magical yet so believable and it will engage any young reader who believes in magic.
Getrude and Tristan, young orphans, have been sent to live on a farm due to the effects of war with a kind lady named Aunt Betty. Aunt Betty takes good care of them but like any children of those days they often spend their spare time exploring the world around them.
Behind Aunt Betty’s house are some woods which are fun to play in and seem to be fairly normal until the day Getrude notices a small door in a tree. It isn’t until she is brave enough to open the door that she discovers a small world named Hollow Woods behind it. In Hollow Woods she meets Elves, trolls, goblins and dwarfs and explores their magical land without a worry.
That is until strange things start to happen and the elves of Hollow Woods enlist Tristan and Getrude to help them save their land.
Readers aged 7-12 will love this book for its magical story along with the relatable characters. They too will want to explore woods for small doors, hoping they can be the hero in a faraway land.
Magic in stories is always wonderful for young readers and Hollow Woods allows children to go simply into a magical world. There are no complex names or plot lines but an easy to follow story for those just starting out in the fantasy genre.
The Door in the Woods is the first book in the Hollow Woods series and I am sure many readers will be waiting to see what happens next!
Teachers can access some great teacher notes as this book is one to be read out loud to inspire imagination, story telling, poetry and many other great themes that can be embedded throughout the curriculum.
Buy your copy today to read as a novel study, out loud to your class or just at home.
Access the teacher notes below:
