Isabelle Bean is pretty sure she's a changeling. She sure doesn't fit in at school. So when she opens a supply closet door and falls, Alice-style, into another world, Isabelle rolls with it. She discovers a society that lives in fear of a witch: when villages hear a rumor that the witch is coming near them, they send their children to camps in the woods to hide from her. Isabelle meets one of these children, Hen, and they come upon an old woman's cottage. The woman is a healer who takes them in, teaches Hen about healing herbs, and lets Isabelle read her handwritten books. When they discover the truth about who Grete is, Hen flees back to the camp to find her siblings, and Isabelle goes along to try to tell Grete's story. But when they come to the camp, they find nearly all the children suffering from fever...

Jessica Almasy (Clementine) is a fantastic narrator for this book, especially because it's told in first person, but NOT from young Isabelle's point of view - the identity of the narrator isn't clear until the end.

See also: Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

Quotes

What is it about dreams coming true? Is it because we want the wrong things? Is it because no dream ever really comes true, at least not in the way we envisioned it coming true? (chapter 28) ( )

I usually like Dowell's stories. This one, no so much. ( )

Apparently, I have read this book before. It was recommended to me as a good audiobook and listening to it NOTHING was familiar. Jessica Almasy does a wonderful job narrating this fantasy. Obviously, for me she made it more memorable than reading the book.
Isabelle Bean, a twelve-year-old girl in the present day and who marches to her own fantasical drummer, falls into another world, where she fits in quite nicely. The nuances of her personality with all its quirks, are brought to life with the narration. Wonderful audiobook. ( )

Isabelle Bean is one of those girls who seems to be in her own little world. She's in sixth grade and has no real friends as the other girls find her a bit odd. So, she's not entirely surprised when she opens a closet and falls through into another world, kind of like Alice, but without all the annoying characters. In the other world she finds all the children on the run from a witch. But instead of joining them on their trek to the safe camps, she sets out to find the witch. After all, what could me more interesting than meeting a witch, even if she does eat children?

I just finished reading this charming book to my (almost) 8 year old daughter, and we both loved it. The writing style is perhaps the best part of it - very confidential and story-telling-like, with frequent interruptions and asides to explain and develop the story line - it was really a lot of fun to read aloud. But the characters are likeable and endearing as well: the quirky misfit Isabelle, the solid and down-to-earth Hen, and the kindly old herb woman Grete. The language feels a bit advanced (more on a level for my 11 year old daughter, who also enjoyed it) and I occasionally had to stop and explain what was happening (I'd say grades 4-6 appropriate, but I almost think I appreciated the "story-telling" style more than my girls did). The story gets a bit tense with realistic dangers that kept us from wanting to put it down. But don't be misled by the "fantasy" label being applied to this book. When I think of "fantasy" novels I think of elves and fairies and magical creatures. This was nothing like that, and beyond the "Alice-in-Wonderland" entrance of "falling in" to another world (with a faintly medieval setting), there wasn't much "fantasy" to it. Very cute story and highly recommended. ( )

Isabelle Bean is one of those girls who seems to be in her own little world. She's in sixth grade and has no real friends as the other girls find her a bit odd. So, she's not entirely surprised when she opens a closet and falls through into another world, kind of like Alice, but without all the annoying characters. In the other world she finds all the children on the run from a witch. But instead of joining them on their trek to the safe camps, she sets out to find the witch. After all, what could me more interesting than meeting a witch, even if she does eat children?

I just finished reading this charming book to my (almost) 8 year old daughter, and we both loved it. The writing style is perhaps the best part of it - very confidential and story-telling-like, with frequent interruptions and asides to explain and develop the story line - it was really a lot of fun to read aloud. But the characters are likeable and endearing as well: the quirky misfit Isabelle, the solid and down-to-earth Hen, and the kindly old herb woman Grete. The language feels a bit advanced (more on a level for my 11 year old daughter, who also enjoyed it) and I occasionally had to stop and explain what was happening (I'd say grades 4-6 appropriate, but I almost think I appreciated the "story-telling" style more than my girls did). The story gets a bit tense with realistic dangers that kept us from wanting to put it down. But don't be misled by the "fantasy" label being applied to this book. When I think of "fantasy" novels I think of elves and fairies and magical creatures. This was nothing like that, and beyond the "Alice-in-Wonderland" entrance of "falling in" to another world (with a faintly medieval setting), there wasn't much "fantasy" to it. Very cute story and highly recommended. ( )