Home Again: Heartwood Hotel, Book 4

Heartwood Hotel #4

by Kallie George, Amy Melissa Bentley (narrator)

Courage, kindness, and adventure abounds in this charming chapter book series about a mouse discovering the true meaning of home.

It's summer at the Heartwood Hotel, and everyone is in a flurry getting ready for Ms. Prickles's wedding to Mr. Quillson! Meanwhile, a new mouse guest named Strawberry comes to stay. She's sweet and soft-spoken like Mona, and gifted in the kitchen just as Mona's mother was—could Strawberry be a long-lost relative?

But when lightning strikes part of Fernwood Forest and starts a fire, all thoughts go to the guests and staff hurrying to leave to make sure their homes and families are safe. Mona works to protect the Heartwood from harm, but as the fire rages on, it's becoming dangerous to stay. Can Mona and her friends save their home before it's too late?

Genres: Fiction, Childrens, Chapter Books, Animals, Middle Grade, Fantasy, Friendship

Audible Audio

First published July 3, 2018

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

[Kate Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading a book from this series each corresponding season, and I was so excited to finally read the summer one. <3 (Especially with the promise of that special event!) It was an absolute delight. The additional characters, a hint of a mystery, visits to the other hotels, and Mona saving the day again... 👏

While this is a great spot to leave the series, I'm so happy there's a surprise fifth book because I'm not ready to say goodbye to these characters. <3

[Hannah Dietrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have loved each one of these books! My kids now want a pet mouse they can name Mona. Such a wholesome cute story about sweet woodland creatures finding belonging in the Heartwood hotel and learning that friends can become family.

This story had plenty of tense moments like a large paw pawing at the hotel door, an encounter with wolves, and the main conflict of a rapidly approaching forest fire. These key conflicts kept my kids enraptured by the story.

[Andrea Stewart · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit more peril in this one, but love all the characters so very much! So much so, that we are sad to see the series finish! 😢

[Galleane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Je garde une légère frustration sur quelques détails, mais globalement j'ai, encore une fois, été transportée à Heartwood aux côtés de son personnel et de ses pensionnaires.

Mon avis complet : https://bloggalleane.blogspot.com/201...

[Cristina Munster · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mona receives an unexpected visitor at the Heartwood Hotel, and she will learn a little more about her parents.

Spoiler: not everything is good in the forest, during the summer many animals will see their home destroyed. This was very sad for me because it happens every year in the world.

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect ending to this sweet series. My kids and I LOVED reading along with the adventures of Mona and the Heartwood Hotel.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good ending to the series. My kids enjoyed it.

[Sarah Sammis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heartwood Hotel: Home Again by Kallie George is the conclusion of the series. Mrs. Prickles is getting married to Mr. Quillson but their festivities at the hotel are cut short by an approaching forest fire. It's best to evacuate before lives are lost. Will the tree be there after the fire?

Before needing to evacuate, Mona meets a mouse from a neighboring hotel who might be her aunt. She certainly knows about Mona's parents in ways that Mona herself can't recall. Mona decides to with the mouse to the Inn Between, figuring she might be family.

FF6699 - orphan home labyrinth

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2020/comm...

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ étoiles (6/10 cœurs). Ahhh, c'est le dernier tome HH parfait ! Cette histoire était beaucoup moins sur les affairs de l'hôtel et davantage sur les affaires de Mona, ce qui était une belle façon de conclure. J'ai adoré voir le mariage, et l'arrivée de Fraise et son secret étaient intrigants. De plus, son hôtel (et celui du castor) était tellement mignon ! L'incendie a ajouté une bonne dose d'action et de drame ; mais j'adore qu'à la fin, on ne révèle jamais ce qui est arrivé à l'arbre… Les thèmes de la recherche d'un foyer et d'une famille, de l'amitié et de la compassion étaient charmants (j'étais tellement heureuse que Mona prenne soin du renard !). C'est un vrai délice et j'ai hâte de relire cette série. <3

——————

5+ stars (6/10 hearts). Ahhh, this is the perfect final HH book! This story had a lot less hotel business and a lot more of Mona's business, which was a nice way to wrap up. I enjoyed seeing the wedding, and Fraise's arrival + secret was intriguing. Also, her hotel (and the beaver's) was so cute! The fire added a good deal of action & drama; but I love how it was never revealed, at the end, what happened to the tree... The themes of finding home & family, friendship, and compassion were lovely (I was so happy about Mona caring for the fox!!). It's all-around delightful and I cannot wait to reread this series. <3

[Kaya Kobold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wie immer eine gute Geschichte, diesmal geht es grob um "was eine Familie ausmacht, definiert das Herz"

[Kelsey Sontag · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet ending to a series. I love the idea that people and community are where we find our grounding, not places and family lines. I can’t help but feel that this is a bit of an Americanized approach tho that pushes to disregard family ties. I think it’s both, in most cases, loving the family you were born into and then knowing that if for whatever reason you can’t be tied to them, that we are surrounded by others who can give us the sense of belonging that we need.

[Meredith Spidel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a sweet, sweet series. My daughter is an animal lover, so these are fun books to feed her growing interest in reading. Thanks to Disney for sending us a copy in exchange for an honest review, it's been a treat to enjoy this newest release in the series. So nice to see books focusing on sweet, fun, and kind characters!

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

These have been the most delightful read-aloud experience for us! We are all sad for the quartet to end and the kids have begged me to request every other book Kallie George has written. The themes of friendship, found family, and bravery are strong, the characters are memorable and lovely, and the adventure elements aren't too much for my sensitive kids. We read each one in just a few sittings because each chapter leaves us hanging. Highly recommend these!

[Chandra M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last book of the 4 book series! My niece recommended me to read it. Although its a tween chapter book, it has an adorable story line and cutie characters! Heartwarming, little hidden life lessons, great read!

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My children and I really enjoyed this series. We liked the characters, setting, and plot. Recommend for people 4 & up!

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished reading the 4 book series with Henry and Finn! If you are looking for a wholesome and heartwarming series for your kids to read or to read with them, I highly recommend it! FIVE STARS! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Kelsey Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

We love this series. <3

[Stacy Renee (LazyDayLit) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful ending to an adorable and lovable series!

This review was originally shared on Lazy Day Literature.

Summer is in full swing and the Heartwood is all abustle over a wedding when news travels by way of hummingbird that a fire has started in the forest. Meanwhile, a mysterious mouse named Strawberry from a nearby inn has a secret to share with Mona, and Mona hopes to gain the family she always wanted, but the fire rages on, threatening all that she holds dear.

This is a fantastic ending to what has become one of our top favorite children's book series!

The Heartwood Hotel series is full of lovable anthropomorphic characters that work in the grand Heartwood Hotel, a safe haven in an old oak that is run by a badger named Mr. Heartwood and tucked into the relative safety of Fernwood Forest. Mona the mouse is orphaned in a storm and finds herself washed downstream where she is taken in by Mr. Heartwood and given a job as a maid, makes great friends, and becomes a brave little hero of a mouse.

This series is a quartet with each book taking place in one of the four seasons, starting in Autumn and ending in Summer. All four books kept us engaged and rooting for Mona in all her endeavors to fit in and save the hotel from various dangers. There's just enough plot to keep readers engaged but these books are also quite gentle reads and perfect for little listeners that love animals.

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

My kids loved this series- super sweet read aloud series for multiple age ranges.

[Lucinda Cavileer · Rating 5 out of 5]

If only there were more of these...

[Bonnie Tesch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was really sad to get to the end of this series. My 3 (and then 4) year old really enjoyed them as bedtime stories, especially when he was sick. They are charmingly pastoral, and have relatively age-appropriate conflict (namely, the only characters that actually ever have ill-intentions are literal predators, and even those aren't always antagonizing).

[Kelsey Schmitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Update*
After the second read, still got teary eyed, but thrilled the series is continuing!


*Initial Review*
Actually got a little teary eyed as I finished the final book of this super sweet series with my daughter. We so enjoyed it. Touches on the themes of friendship & family and what really makes a home.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just a delightful series to read with my 6 year old son. We really enjoyed all 4.

[Cala · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 6 year old son and I have absolutely loved the Heartwood Hotel series as a read aloud. The series uses small animals to portray friendship, loyalty, bravery, losing family members, changing friendship dynamics, hard work, caring for others, and more. It's a beautifully written story for young children (and adults!). I was never bored or yawning like can happen with some other books written for young children. This was engaging and applicable for all ages.

Note on Home Again: There is quite a bit of suspense in book 4 that is not found in the first three books, that had my sweetly sensitive son on the edge of his seat with a worried expression; but he never asked me to stop reading, like he has done with a few other "scary" books. So I'm going to say that even the suspense in this book is well handled by young, sensitive children.

[J. Alfred · Rating 1 out of 5]

In this series, the plots are overly simple while going out of their way to remain mysterious. The writing tries to make up for this by being overly sentimental. (And by the way, the whole premise of the book doesn't make sense. Where do the animals who stay at the hotels get their currency?)
I should add, however, that mine is the minority opinion in my home. My 8, 6, and 3 year old girls love these books with a confusing passion. And so if you know a sentimental girl WHO WILL READ TO HER OWN SIBLINGS, this might be a series for you.

[Séverine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quel plaisir que de retrouver Mona et tous les personnages qui font vivre l'Hôtel Heartwood !!! Autant j'avais envie de lire ce dernier tome pour me plonger à nouveau dans cette ambiance toute douce, autant j'avais envie d'en retarder la lecture car je n'avais pas envie que ça se termine ! Ce fût encore une aventure mouvementée pour Mona et de nouveau une histoire pleine de tendresse et d'amitié ! Haaa, qu'est-ce que cette bulle de douceur va me manquer !!!

[Keri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not our favorite in the series, for a variety of reasons - and the kids were disappointed by the vagueness in the ending...

It was also much darker than the previous books, and the resolution wasn't nearly as happy as the sad parts were sad. (Mona also kind of drove me nuts in this one with her unchecked savior complex haha)

Both the kids and I were really disappointed at how the series ended. We still enjoyed moments in the rest of the books, but really the first one was the shining jewel.

[Jordan Cuellar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very dramatic ending to this series, but so very full of heart as well! A rampant forest fire forces the guests and staff of the Heartwood to evacuate the hotel, and Mona travels to the Inn Between, an inn designed just for mice. Mona encounters Strawberry, whom she feels certain is a relative.
A daring rescue of a beloved friend, an encounter with a fox, and the realization of what makes the Heartwood the Heartwood made this a very heartfelt little novel.

[Jill Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Juvenile Fantasy. Last book in the Heartwood series. A busy Summer at the Heartwood Hotel starts with porcupine wedding. A mysterious mouse from the In between Inn visits the hotel and Mona wonders if she could be a relative. After the joyous occasion, a fire threatens the forest and all the creatures that live there. Enjoyable sweet series. Recommend Grade 3 to 5.

[Bev Hager · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story for young or old.

The Heart wood Hotel series is an engaging series of stories to enjoy with your children and grandchildren. The lessons taught make your heart sing and yearn to be part of this animal family. So much fun they make you smile all the way through. I highly recommend these books to anyone no matter how old you are.