Family Forever

Heartwood Hotel #5

by Kallie George, Stephanie Graegin (illustrator)

Everything is humming at the Heartwood Hotel one year after the forest fire. Yet Mona the mouse feels like something is missing. Something besides the Golden Acorn—a legendary treasure buried and forgotten long ago. When a stranger turns up at the Heartwood with a map, suddenly the whole forest is taking part in a big treasure hunt and the hotel's regular activities are turned upside down.

But Mona has an idea to get things back to throw a surprise birthday party for Mr. Heartwood! As the Heartwood attracts treasure hunters—well-meaning and otherwise—and as Mona's best friend Tilly seems to be pulling away, Mona feels like her plans are slipping through her paws! Who will find the legendary treasure? And what if danger finds the hotel first?

The newest installment of the Heartwood Hotel chapter book series is another cozy adventure through an imaginative woodland, complete with comforting themes and a classic feel.

Genres: Animals, Middle Grade, Childrens, Friendship, Audiobook, Chapter Books, Juvenile

208 pages, Paperback

Published September 2, 2025

About the author

I’m an author, editor, and speaker living in Vancouver, BC, near the sea. When I’m not writing or editing, I’m teaching creative writing workshops.

I have my Masters of Children's Literature from the University of British Columbia.

I love picture books, fairy tales, beautiful art and music, and baking cookies.

Reviews

[Whitney Newby]

Five golden (acorn) stars for this one! If this series could get any sweeter, I think it has. All of our kids (ages 6-12) LOVE the Heartwood Hotel books! Highly recommend!

[Blessing Bloodworth (naptimereaders)]

Read-aloud with 4 & 6 year-old girls.

We continue to enjoy this sweet series full of the most endearing woodland characters. I think the ideal reading age is 6-9, but there’s enough simplicity and gentle adventure to keep my younger ones engaged.

[Emily Foster]

Another great book from Kallie George! This one might be my favorite! There was a lot of mystery and surprise, and I love a good treasure hunt! Tilly and Mona continue to discover and share new things about friendship which I found sweet in this book whereas in some of the other books I found it a little annoying. I love how their conflicts always end in reconciliation and repentance!

[Keri]

We LOVED this newest installment of the Heartwood Hotel series! Back to the cozy, comforting mysteries of life as a mouse maid in a tree hotel. The kids loved it as our bedtime read aloud, and so did my husband and I! Simple, endearing, and gentle storytelling.

The last two books had been a little darker (and grumpier) but this one feels back to all the warmth and light of the first two.

Mona does go through some self-pity, making false assumptions, and unfounded fear, but she eventually moves beyond it — and admits and learns from her mistakes.

And another book supposed to come out in Fall 2026?! We already can't wait!

[Kate Willis]

Awww, I loved this so much! The vibes and illustrations were adorable as always (a tiny moth with a broom?!), and I got chills from the ending. The message of embracing change was one I needed too.

I can't wait for the next book! 🧡

[Elizabeth Albano]

We didn’t enjoy as much as the others but still lovely and charming. Bjorn says he wanted more Brumble the Bear

[Sylvia Kinney]

This series is a favorite. The kids and I were so sad it was over but looking forward to the new one coming out this fall.

[Bethany Long]

These books are genuinely just too tender for words. I love Mona and her journey so much. The aesthetics are so whimsical and the themes are always so relevant and heavy. I always tear up at some point while reading these. These are the perfect cozy read aloud while still feeling like they have real stakes. Cannot recommend these books enough for families.

[Ellen]

I had no idea that Kallie George was creating new entries in her Heartwood Hotel series, but what a treat that she is! More whimsical, quirky characters, more for Mona and Tillie and the rest of her found family to learn and do, more lovely cooking and parties. It's pure, sweet fun.

[Tiffany Keith]

We love these books so much! Can’t wait for book 6! 🍁

[Monica weitzel]

I’ve just finished reading the 5th Heartwood Hotel book in the series by Kallie George. The books were recommended to me by my 11 yr old granddaughter who checked them out of her school library for me. Yes, they are written for kids, but I found them delightful all the same. The books can easily be read by adults in a day. Sometimes a light-hearted, uplifting book about the adventures of forest animals is just the ticket. Looking forward to book #6 due out in the Fall of 2026.

[Cassie Cole]

When we saw this on the shelf at the bookshop, we all gasped in delight. What a surprise to find she had done another book in this series! Loved it!

[Emma]

After the four books story arc of the initial series I was excited to see that the author decided to come back to the world of the Heartwood Hotel. This new story picks up about a year after the events in the last book. This is generally a cozy little world filled with anthropomorphic forest animals, although throughout the series the characters have dealt with the ongoing loss of being an orphan and the resilience of found family. Insecurities around belonging and attachment are expressed well through the earnest main character, and by the end there is reassurance and lessons about communication and not assuming the worst. While things work out satisfactorily for the best there is some danger (like in some of the previous books) and one chapter involving peril (that is fairly quickly overcome) that was tense for my very sensitive kid, but still well worth the read. The initial books aligned with the seasons, and the author seems to be continuing that theme as this is a Fall story. I’m hoping that’s a sign that we can look forward to another 3 starring Mona the mouse and her lovable crew.

[Ashli Rich]

A cozy, comforting tale that sparkles with heart and woodland magic—Mona’s story continues to shine.

Family Forever is another heartfelt gem in the Heartwood Hotel series that delivers exactly what young readers love—cozy woodland charm, lovable characters, and just the right touch of adventure. Mona the mouse once again proves that courage and kindness can make even the tiniest creature a true hero.

The story’s blend of a treasure hunt, a mysterious map, and a surprise birthday party for Mr. Heartwood brings delightful twists while staying grounded in the themes of friendship, belonging, and doing the right thing. Young readers will connect with Mona’s emotions—her longing for things to feel “just right” again and her determination to bring her community together.

The warm black-and-white illustrations add classic charm, and the forest setting feels like a snug hug. It’s a perfect early chapter book for fans of Sophie Mouse, and ideal for bedtime reading or classroom libraries.

[Jester, King's Favorite Fool]

This was a surprise installment in the series for me. I thought the series had ended.

This book focuses on the Golden Acorn and Mr. Heartwood's birthday. Everyone is focused on finding the Golden Acorn, everyone except Mona. She, on the other hand, wants to throw a surprise birthday party for Mr. Heartwood. Mona also feels like she is losing her best friend, Tilly.

This book is still as charming and cozy as the previous ones. Overall, I enjoyed it!

Note: Using new rating system starting 2025.

[Jeannette]

This series is one of the best childrens' books around. Friendship, love and helping hands all around. And now, after 4 books, Mona and Tilly will be starting a new adventure running a new branch of the Heartwood Hotel. When I retired form my library employment a number of years ago, I decided to not only read best sellers, nordic crime, murder mysteries and some non fiction, I decided to start reading a few childrens' book a month. I accidntly fell into this little series and I love the stories. You really don't have to be a child to enjoy these books. Just broaden your horizons and you will find lots of interesting stories out there. Very quick read and a nice tidy ending.

[Pam]

Readers return to the Heartwood Hotel for another adventure. This time the hotel is crowded with guests as a treasure map has been revealed. Creatures come from everywhere to search for the Golden Acorn. This keeps Mona and Tilly running to stay on top of everything. For some reason, Mr. Heartwood keeps vanishing so the two have to make sure everything runs smoothly themselves. George develops her characters and reveals hidden depths as the story unfolds. By the end, all is revealed. Treasure is discovered, mysterious disappearances are revealed, and the frenzy quickly subsides. Looking forward to more adventures.

[Jenny]

We went right from book 1 to this one and it wasn't too confusing. Always thankful for a series that lets us skip around a little bit.

Another Heartwood Hotel gem. Fantastic and sweet story that is perfect read aloud. I always recommend this for kids who struggle with books with lots of conflict- the conflict in these is a little more mellow and manageable without being babyish. My 8yo LOVES the series and this one did not disappoint.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! Can't wait to see what Mona gets up to next.

[Ashley]

Family Forever is the cozy 5th installment in the Heartwood Hotel series. The news of the prized Golden Acorn being close to the Heartwood spreads through Fernwood Forest. Lots of guests arrive to the hotel for the treasure hunt. With all of the excavating digs around the property, there are unexpected consequences. Mona is in her element, problem-solving and helping wherever she can. The ending hints that the series will continue, which is fantastic! An excellent read aloud!

ARC provided by Netgalley.

[Monica]

Review by my 8 year-old: I love Heartwood Hotel, and Family Forever is no exception. In this book, animals from the forest come together in a hunt for the golden acorn. I love this series for the anthropomorphism and how the animals always help each other. I would definitely recommend this book to readers of all ages!

Thank you to Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for gifting me with an ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

[Leigh]

A sweet series of books! I’ve read the whole series aloud to my 4-year-old. There are illustrations scattered throughout. Also, as a warning - some chapters have cliff hangers, so it may be hard to only read a single chapter at a time. We usually read 2-3 chapters a night before bed.

Looking forward to the next book in the series! In the meantime, we have started calling the squirrels in our backyard Tilly and Henry after our favorite, ever-hungry grumps.

[Chloe (Always Booked)]

This was such a cute continuation to the series. We pick up 1 year after the fire at the Heartwood and there are a bunch of people wanting to come look for a golden acorn. Mona and Tilly experience some emotional distance but then they figure it out and it was so sweet. I think this opened the way for more books, so we'll see!

[Kelsee Thaten]

“Five stars. I liked it a lot. My favorite part was when Mona first stepped into the Maple Branch and Mr. Heartwood told her and Tilly that they could be maids. I hope the author writes more Heartwood books because they’re my favorite.” -Theo, age 5.

[Katherine]

My kids love the Heartwood Hotel series (so do I)! They're sweet and gentle, but don't "talk down" to them. We were all tickled to discover a new one had just been released, and they all loved it. However, they guessed where it was going pretty much immediately. I just didn't enjoy this one nearly as much as the original four.

[Mandy Beach]

The Heartwood Hotel series is our current family read aloud to ages 6,8, and 9. They all like the series and it keeps everyone engaged and excited to read more. The kids always give the ratings for our read alouds. This one got a 4, a 5 and a 10,000 (from the littlest haha)😅

[Kelsey Shenk]

When your children lament and say “wait, is it done forever?!” after you finish a book, you know it was a good one. Such a fun one with lots of good twists and turns! Loved by 5yr, 8yr, and 34yr olds!

[Awjtf]

Another sweet story in this series!

[Viola Kate]

Is this the end? The whole family is hoping it's not the end. We get adventures at the new branch, right? Right??

[Michelle]

I love this series. The characters are lovely and the setting is cozy!

[Amber]

The kids and I love the series but agree this is our least favorite out of the 5 books.