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The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root: An Illustrated Middle Grade Fantasy About Magic, Friendship, and an Ancient Legacy for Kids
A little girl who can only sleep during the day grows from something of an isolated town oddity to the heiress of an ancient legacy of magic and music. Exquisitely illustrated, this gentle, satisfying young fantasy is filled with unforgettable, quirky characters and imagery. A perfect read-aloud, it shows how one can find friends in the unlikeliest of places—windowsills, rabbit burrows, the library.
Debut author Christopher Pennell casts a spell with his irresistible adventure while illustrator Rebecca Bond's pen-and-ink drawings perfectly capture this atmospheric world and contribute to the feel of a timeless classic. Step into the mysterious woods of Whistle Root and feel the magic.
Debut author Christopher Pennell casts a spell with his irresistible adventure while illustrator Rebecca Bond's pen-and-ink drawings perfectly capture this atmospheric world and contribute to the feel of a timeless classic. Step into the mysterious woods of Whistle Root and feel the magic.
224 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
January 10, 2022
Overall this book is very charming and whimsical.
The characters are classic storybook character- the chosen one, talking animals, wise old woman- and the illustrations are absolutely wonderful.
Although the *overall* plot is interesting, it gets lost in the details of the story and seems a little discombobulated. Definitely would have liked more details and a smoother connection of the events that take place.
The characters are classic storybook character- the chosen one, talking animals, wise old woman- and the illustrations are absolutely wonderful.
Although the *overall* plot is interesting, it gets lost in the details of the story and seems a little discombobulated. Definitely would have liked more details and a smoother connection of the events that take place.
March 20, 2018
Awww, this was ✨magical.✨✨ I remember why I loved it so much. 💕
Would highly recommend for all ages!
Would highly recommend for all ages!
February 20, 2014
Really more like a 3.5, but my students love it so I'll round up.
Good--things unexplained are explained/mysteries revealed later on, like where the rats got instruments and how they learned to play from the moon king (page 179)
Lots of things that seem wacky come full circle--vegetables, home under the school
Interesting, enjoyable characters. Care about what happens to them, keeps you reading
Not so good--confusing/complicated plot, might be hard to remember all of the details about the many characters.
Would have liked to know more about Green's and Carly's parents lives before they died
Finding parts of stories in library books seems unlikely and too lucky. And glued together books blocking the trap door is very unrealistic--wouldn't work because someone would have noticed the glued books!
Everything wrapped up too neatly at the end. Seemed to rush the conclusion rather than allowing for a more realistic unfolding of clues and information. Altogether too convenient.
Characters--good sense of who Carly is. Inconsistency in when she was unable to stay awake seemed to change in relation to whether the author wanted her to stay awake or not for the sake of plot progression
Good character names (Breeza Meezy, Green, Kunderskool).
Good--things unexplained are explained/mysteries revealed later on, like where the rats got instruments and how they learned to play from the moon king (page 179)
Lots of things that seem wacky come full circle--vegetables, home under the school
Interesting, enjoyable characters. Care about what happens to them, keeps you reading
Not so good--confusing/complicated plot, might be hard to remember all of the details about the many characters.
Would have liked to know more about Green's and Carly's parents lives before they died
Finding parts of stories in library books seems unlikely and too lucky. And glued together books blocking the trap door is very unrealistic--wouldn't work because someone would have noticed the glued books!
Everything wrapped up too neatly at the end. Seemed to rush the conclusion rather than allowing for a more realistic unfolding of clues and information. Altogether too convenient.
Characters--good sense of who Carly is. Inconsistency in when she was unable to stay awake seemed to change in relation to whether the author wanted her to stay awake or not for the sake of plot progression
Good character names (Breeza Meezy, Green, Kunderskool).
November 15, 2013
I took turns reading this book out loud at bedtime with my husband. The story was cute but I found my mind wandering when it was my hubby's turn to read. I'm not much of an auditory learner, I absorb" things more readily when I read things in print myself, so I think that's why I feel like half the time I couldn't follow the storyline.
August 7, 2017
I struggled with some of the fantastical elements in this book. It's was very original, but some of the originality came across as nonsense or absurdity, and I'm not a huge fan of either. Interesting for middle grade readers who want some mystery and fantasy, but not fully satisfying, with a rather quick wrap-up ending.
January 10, 2026
An original and interesting story about a girl and music and her friends the rats and a boy named Green. They have an adventure in the woods and solve the mystery of why she can only sleep during the day. There are unique and clever characters and story that's adventurous enough for adults but not too scary for children.
November 3, 2013
I love books like The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root, that have the right formula of scary and adventure all wrapped in to one. I also loved the musical aspect of the book, as our main character Carly meets a rat playing the fiddle on her roof one night. She's an unusual girl already, who cannot seem to sleep at night no matter what and falls asleep constantly during school. What she finds out is that the wonderful, harmless music-playing rats are now disappearing into the claws of the owls, who used to enjoy their music.
Carly must help figure out why the owls are now attacking the rats and how to stop them before all of the musicians are killed. With the help of another somewhat strange boy at school, they adventure out into the woods to find out how to save their friends and family. Having an unfinished copy, I thought the illustrations were cute but obviously will be fine-tuned before the final book comes out. I loved the story and the setting with the Whistle Root Woods and the story behind it.
I also love that a lot of this book took place in a school library. Part of the adventure was finding the old stories of how the Whistle Root trees came to be and what it was that was changing the woods once again. As a lover of fantasy and adventure, I thought this book was the perfect mix, especially great for upper elementary readers.
Final Verdict: Definitely a book I would recommend for lovers of fantasy and short enough to capture the attention span of a 4th or 5th grader, but may be a little too kiddish for middle grade students.
Carly must help figure out why the owls are now attacking the rats and how to stop them before all of the musicians are killed. With the help of another somewhat strange boy at school, they adventure out into the woods to find out how to save their friends and family. Having an unfinished copy, I thought the illustrations were cute but obviously will be fine-tuned before the final book comes out. I loved the story and the setting with the Whistle Root Woods and the story behind it.
I also love that a lot of this book took place in a school library. Part of the adventure was finding the old stories of how the Whistle Root trees came to be and what it was that was changing the woods once again. As a lover of fantasy and adventure, I thought this book was the perfect mix, especially great for upper elementary readers.
Final Verdict: Definitely a book I would recommend for lovers of fantasy and short enough to capture the attention span of a 4th or 5th grader, but may be a little too kiddish for middle grade students.
September 9, 2017
Two and a half stars for a book that could have been so much more. Very much a first novel, it's a shame the author didn't get a bit more editorial advice...or maybe he got too much? I loved the beginning...I too am a "night child" who spends her nights reading because she simply can't sleep. (I avoid the hot tea though, as caffiene wouldn't help matters). The rats putting vegetables on the roofs to replace members of the band was interesting, but the farther we get into the tale, the scrappier the story gets. We're given hints and clues and half-formulated ideas, but when the MC tries to ask questions or delve deeper, we're cut off with "it's all so long ago" or "nobody knows" or "we don't remember." The interaction with the other characters is scamped and cut short, and the ending is mostly "off camera." We're told that all was explained, but we're not privy to the explanations. There was some kind of ceremony, but we don't get to see it. I got the feeling that perhaps Pennell had started to write a kind of allegory, as if he wanted to put more in the subtext than meets the eye; maybe that's what got edited out. I don't know, but I was dissatisfied.
There seems to be some kind of rule these days that English language kids' books have to be kept short, or something. Mustn't keep little readers from their smartphones, I guess. But if the author had developed his ideas a bit more, this superficial story could have been a fascinating classic.
There seems to be some kind of rule these days that English language kids' books have to be kept short, or something. Mustn't keep little readers from their smartphones, I guess. But if the author had developed his ideas a bit more, this superficial story could have been a fascinating classic.
October 13, 2017
I was seeking out books illustrated by the wonderful Rebecca Bond when I came across “The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root,” an imaginative tale of nighttime adventures by Christopher Pennell. As I flipped through the book and saw Bond’s amazing pen and ink illustrations, I knew I wanted to read this book. The illustrator, who sadly, recently died at the young age of 45, has provided this magical story with illustrations that manage to be both cozy and mysterious, while at the same time, pull you ever deeper into Pennell’s enchanting world that is populated with music-playing rats, dancing owls, whistling, bell-ringing trees, a cozy cabin hidden under a school, a moon king, a magical little man named the Woop and an evil creature of revenge known as the griddlebeast. Leading the reader through this fantastical world is eleven-year old Carly Bean Bitters, a child with sleep problems. You see Carly’s clock is reversed - she is awake all night and falls asleep during the day. As you can imagine, this makes going to school a bit difficult, but it does provide Carly an opportunity to discover the magic happening at night in the small town of Whistle Root. This delightful fantasy, filled with quirky characters, is never too scary, making it perfect for younger readers and fans of P.L. Travers (Mary Poppins) and L. Frank Baum (the Oz books).
June 24, 2013
Now, this is a book that you should go out and put in the hands of your kiddies.
I, being past that stage and all, can't become as enthralled as they'd be.
This book has all the stuff that my little self was once enamored with. Still am, sometimes.
Talking beasts; evil, non-understanding adults; good adults and a girl who doesn't sleep at night. Can't sleep at night. And the two main kids have freaky names. Bitter and Green.
Such unfortunate lives they live.
The main character is one with whom we all are intimately familiar. The girl who's brave and senseless when her friends are in trouble. The girl who's tired of humans and joins a mice-vegetable band.
The story is likable, with a little in fabricated past(which was interesting itself) and new creatures, and witch helpers.
The illustrations are wacky sometimes, but when it's just little details around the border, it amalgamates with the tone of the story.
Overall, the book was adorable and the plot imaginative. But the best thing about it is the propagation of inter-species relationships.
Just kidding.
Though, if you look at it, most kiddie books do that, even more than those porno for zoophilic people.
I, being past that stage and all, can't become as enthralled as they'd be.
This book has all the stuff that my little self was once enamored with. Still am, sometimes.
Talking beasts; evil, non-understanding adults; good adults and a girl who doesn't sleep at night. Can't sleep at night. And the two main kids have freaky names. Bitter and Green.
Such unfortunate lives they live.
The main character is one with whom we all are intimately familiar. The girl who's brave and senseless when her friends are in trouble. The girl who's tired of humans and joins a mice-vegetable band.
The story is likable, with a little in fabricated past(which was interesting itself) and new creatures, and witch helpers.
The illustrations are wacky sometimes, but when it's just little details around the border, it amalgamates with the tone of the story.
Overall, the book was adorable and the plot imaginative. But the best thing about it is the propagation of inter-species relationships.
Just kidding.
Though, if you look at it, most kiddie books do that, even more than those porno for zoophilic people.
November 7, 2013
Carly Bean Bitters, an eleven-year-old orphan, has always been different. She sleeps during the day and stays awake at night, which is problematic during the school year. One night she hears music on the roof and upon investigating comes upon a rat named Lewis. From that moment on, Carly finds herself thrust into a fantastic world beyond her wildest dreams—a world in which she might play a vital role. The mysterious woods in Whistle Root are changing, and the animals and even the people are in danger because something that happened centuries earlier is happening again.
“The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root” is a highly imaginative work of children’s fiction, a beautiful story of fantasy and inspiration that will appeal to children between the ages of eight and twelve. Younger children might enjoy having this story read to them, although a few thematic elements might be frightening. Charming black-and-white sketched illustrations enhance the appeal of this book, as do the themes of loyalty and courage. The story is dreamlike and told in the spirit of such works as C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series, Madeleine L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time,” and E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web.”
“The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root” is a highly imaginative work of children’s fiction, a beautiful story of fantasy and inspiration that will appeal to children between the ages of eight and twelve. Younger children might enjoy having this story read to them, although a few thematic elements might be frightening. Charming black-and-white sketched illustrations enhance the appeal of this book, as do the themes of loyalty and courage. The story is dreamlike and told in the spirit of such works as C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series, Madeleine L’Engle’s “A Wrinkle in Time,” and E.B. White’s “Charlotte’s Web.”
July 18, 2013
The Mysterious Woods Of Whistle Root
By
Christopher Pennell
My"in a nutshell" summary...
A sweet little orphan is befriended by musical rats and has an amazing adventure!
My thoughts after reading this book...
Carly Bean Bitters meets some unusual music loving rats and the next thing we know...she is playing music with them and running off to the forest with them. She has a hard time sleeping at night, she doesn't have much to eat and there is not much happiness in her life until she meets the rat on the roof who gives her a little red horn. With this event her life changes because she can always escape to the woods.
At this point this book sort of fizzled out for me. It began to become a chore to read...I was squirming and could not stay focused and I did not want to read it any more.
What began as a wonderfully fun adventure...left me yearning.
My apologies to the author. I am a teacher of young children...I did not love this book. I didn't like the names of characters...the illustrations were not exciting. I am so sorry!
By
Christopher Pennell
My"in a nutshell" summary...
A sweet little orphan is befriended by musical rats and has an amazing adventure!
My thoughts after reading this book...
Carly Bean Bitters meets some unusual music loving rats and the next thing we know...she is playing music with them and running off to the forest with them. She has a hard time sleeping at night, she doesn't have much to eat and there is not much happiness in her life until she meets the rat on the roof who gives her a little red horn. With this event her life changes because she can always escape to the woods.
At this point this book sort of fizzled out for me. It began to become a chore to read...I was squirming and could not stay focused and I did not want to read it any more.
What began as a wonderfully fun adventure...left me yearning.
My apologies to the author. I am a teacher of young children...I did not love this book. I didn't like the names of characters...the illustrations were not exciting. I am so sorry!
Read
June 16, 2014The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root by Christopher Pennell, illustrated by Rebecca Bond (Ages 8-12)
Carly Bean Bitters lives in the small town of Whistle Root, where rats play musical instruments on rooftops when the moon is full. Usually owls dance to the magical music, but things have been changing and the rat musicians are disappearing. Lewis has been playing on Carly’s rooftop and invites her to fill in for the missing musicians. With the help of Green Pitcher, a friend from school, Carly sets out to discover what is changing the magic in the woods.
This engaging story, with its whimsical pen and ink illustrations, captures the imagination and carries the reader along, as if flying on an evening breeze. Join Carly as she searches dusty library books, travels underground passages, tangles with a griddlebeast, and learns to fly through the air. Will she be able to save the rats and the magic in her town?
Review by Kathy, Cataloging Librarian
Carly Bean Bitters lives in the small town of Whistle Root, where rats play musical instruments on rooftops when the moon is full. Usually owls dance to the magical music, but things have been changing and the rat musicians are disappearing. Lewis has been playing on Carly’s rooftop and invites her to fill in for the missing musicians. With the help of Green Pitcher, a friend from school, Carly sets out to discover what is changing the magic in the woods.
This engaging story, with its whimsical pen and ink illustrations, captures the imagination and carries the reader along, as if flying on an evening breeze. Join Carly as she searches dusty library books, travels underground passages, tangles with a griddlebeast, and learns to fly through the air. Will she be able to save the rats and the magic in her town?
Review by Kathy, Cataloging Librarian
December 8, 2015
The quote on the cover states that it is in the vein of E.B. White. I completely agree with that. Especially since I just finished The Trumpet of the Swan by White. The style and pacing were very similar. Incredibly creative, but presented simply, not at all trying to be pretentious, as so many fantasy books try to be these days.
It was darker than White's books, and even though I'm an adult, I'm a major scaredy cat and can't deny I was completely wigged out by the grimblebeast. Rebecca Bond's illustrations assist in that, and I was suitably torn between surprise, suspense, and devastation when the plot moved along.
A nice read for kids and adults who appreciate E.B. White and Gail Carson Levine.
It was darker than White's books, and even though I'm an adult, I'm a major scaredy cat and can't deny I was completely wigged out by the grimblebeast. Rebecca Bond's illustrations assist in that, and I was suitably torn between surprise, suspense, and devastation when the plot moved along.
A nice read for kids and adults who appreciate E.B. White and Gail Carson Levine.
January 13, 2017
If you liked this book, you might also enjoy:
✱ The Three Loves of Persimmon
✱ Rooftoppers
✱ The Three Loves of Persimmon
✱ Rooftoppers
April 14, 2014
flying rats playing music on roofs with an orphan girl who can't sleep at night, I do like the idea of vegetables as stand in musicians, odd little middle grade fantasy. These rats are much more appealing that your average Dallas roof rats!
November 15, 2015
Cute and charming but definitely meant more for the Middle Grade age group. Not one that an adult Middle Grade reader could enjoy as much.
January 14, 2016
Ahhhhh
July 24, 2017
I'm in love with the illustrations like woooaaaaahh
November 15, 2022
I read this book to my daughter. What's more funny the mice that play instruments when it's breezy and the moon is out. The mice music the owls dance. Trees that whistle and when a band member goes missing (there always has to be 3) they are replaced by a vegetable. A girl who sleeps during the day and is awake at night. A boy who lives under a cabin that the school was built on. A band hat in a white cradle in the woods that sends Carly clues to what is going on. This book was funny and yet mysterious it all starts when the owls stop dancing and start taking the mice. Carly who is up at night begins to wonder why there is a squash on her roof. That's when she meets Lewis the fiddle player the squash is the drum player Carly becomes the player of the horn. Turns out that some one cursed the land with a griddlebeast whose soul purpose is to destroy whistleroot and the rats. It's up to Carly to save her new friends and her town. My daughter and I reallyed enjoyed this book. She is sad that it is done and I will be looking forward to getting more books by this author to read to her. I started reading this book on 11/4 and finished 11/15
April 20, 2021
A magically, delightful read! This would perfectly be described as a middle grade cozy mystery with a sprinkling of fantasy. It's a whimsical adventure, with strong themes of courage and loyalty, completely encapsulating the spirit of a child (and middle-grade adults too ;) )
Its quirkiness is reminiscent of Baum and Carroll, which is what really attracted me to the novel. It also alludes to the Pied Piper of Hamelin in a very subtle way that's done just right. I normally don't go for stand-alones unless they're really, really, very good, and this one is really, really, very good! The beautiful line drawings add to the books' charm.
This is perfect as something to curl up in bed with for those sleepless nights (wink, wink)
Its quirkiness is reminiscent of Baum and Carroll, which is what really attracted me to the novel. It also alludes to the Pied Piper of Hamelin in a very subtle way that's done just right. I normally don't go for stand-alones unless they're really, really, very good, and this one is really, really, very good! The beautiful line drawings add to the books' charm.
This is perfect as something to curl up in bed with for those sleepless nights (wink, wink)
December 8, 2017
This was a nice quick Middle School age book. I would definitely recommend.
December 10, 2017
Interesting story. Well written. Good for young readers.
July 24, 2020
I loved this book I highly recommend it to anyone who has a interest in fantasy and complete fiction😄
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 20, 2020
A delightful fantasy
This little tale sets the lonely in unlikely friendships, conquers the ravages of jealousy and revenge, and enchants the reader's imagination.
This little tale sets the lonely in unlikely friendships, conquers the ravages of jealousy and revenge, and enchants the reader's imagination.
April 17, 2022
This book reminds me a bit of the whimsical oddity of Alice in Wonderland, and it left me feeling disjointed, just as Alice does. Still, a very intriguing premise that is well realized.
April 18, 2022
A little like Alice in Wonderland with its bizarre events and characters, though considerably more motivation.
October 11, 2023
Super quick read, but not very good. Thought it would be a fitting October read. It really just seemed like a bunch of random elements cobbled together into a mediocre story.
November 29, 2023
read this as a kid. I remember it being eerie and creepy
January 27, 2024
While I still had some unanswered questions along with some underwhelm with things happening just because, the story did keep me very invested.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews