The Thickety: A Path Begins

by J A White (Author) Andrea Offermann (Illustrator)

The Thickety: A Path Begins
Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade
Series: Thickety
The Thickety: A Path Begins is a spellbinding tale about a girl, the Thickety, and the power of magic. Fans of Neil Gaiman will love this thrilling new world.When Kara Westfall was five years old, her mother was convicted of the worst of all crimes: witchcraft. Years later, Kara and her little brother, Taff, are still shunned by the people of their village, who believe that nothing is more evil than magic...except, perhaps, the mysterious forest that covers nearly the entire island. It has many names, this place. Sometimes it is called the Dark Wood, or Sordyr's Realm. But mostly it's called the Thickety.The villagers live in fear of the Thickety and the terrible creatures that live there. But when an unusual bird lures Kara into the forbidden forest, she discovers a strange book with unspeakable powers. A book that might have belonged to her mother.And that is just the beginning of the story.Supports the Common Core State StandardsPublishers Weekly Best BookIndieBound Indie Next ListPublishers Weekly Flying StartAmazon's Big Spring BooksWashington Post Summer Book Club
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Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

The followers of the Path have left the sinful world behind to live in the isolated community of De'Noran, which is increasingly encroached upon by the Thickety, the domain of the forest demon Sordyr. Kara Westfall's mother was executed for the crime of witchcraft, and now her family ekes out a living under the burden of the community's suspicion. It falls to 12-year-old Kara to keep her sickly younger brother and dysfunctional father alive. She negotiates the treacherous road of a pariah, attempting to persuade a proto-Puritanical society that she is harmless, even while the dangerously addictive powers she has inherited from her mother well up within her. In this darkly imaginative debut, White creates a fantasy world with creatures that are anything but sweet--a cyclopean bird, a multi-mouthed horror--and, after a deceptively satisfying resolution, he unfurls a twist that will make readers want the next chapter of Kara's story immediately. White's prose is evocative without being dense, and Offermann's sharp-edged silhouettes (not all seen by PW) add an ominous note. Absolutely thrilling. Ages 8-12. Agent: Alexandra Machinist, Janklow & Nesbit. (May)

Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8--"There is no such thing as a good witch." These words, well known to all the villagers of De'Noran, haunt 12-year-old Kara Westfall. Ostracized and abused, she and her brother are the children of the last known witch, who was hanged on the edge of the Thickety when Kara was five. As the tangled branches of the dark, forbidden forest spread closer to the village, something strange and powerful awakens in Kara. Was her mother's magic truly evil? White's debut novel is darkly bewitching. The isolation of De'Noran and the fervor of its residents create a heady suspense, and White's well-crafted characters operate beautifully within the fantastical world he has created. Offerman's inky silhouettes perfectly complement the story. Readers will devour each twist and turn of the plot, right up to the startling conclusion.--Sara Saxton, Wasilla Public Library, Wasilla, AK

Copyright 2014 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Absolutely thrilling."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Classification
-
ISBN-13
9780062257246
Lexile Measure
730
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Katherine Tegen Books
Publication date
May 06, 2014
Series
Thickety
BISAC categories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
Library of Congress categories
-
Texas Lone Star Reading List
Commended 2015 - 2015

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