In the Path of the Storm

The Animals of Farthing Wood #6

by Colin Dann

One of the series about the animals of Farthing Wood, the first of which won the Arts Council's National Award for Children's Literature. Change has come to White Deer Park. Trey, new leader of the stag herd, decides there is no room for the smaller animals in the reserve. But nature intervenes.

Genres: Childrens, Animals, Fiction, Young Adult, British Literature

181 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Colin Dann (born 1943 in Richmond, Surrey (now part of London)) is an English author. He is best known for his The Animals of Farthing Wood series of books, which was subsequently made into an animated series.

Dann worked at the publishing firm William Collins Sons & Co. for thirteen years, and his first novel, The Animals of Farthing Wood, was written during this period. The original cover for this and a dozen others was painted by Portal artist Frances Broomfield.

Colin Dann, recipient of Britain's Arts Council National Award for Children's Literature, is also the author of six sequels and a prequel to The Animals of Farthing Wood.

Reviews

[Abigail · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the Great Stag of White Deer Park dies, his successor, Trey, makes trouble for all of the smaller animals of the area, insisting that the park belongs to the deer, and that all the other creatures must bow to him. As Fox marshals all of the Farthing Wood animals and their descendants, Tawny Owl, nettled at the teasing he received from foxes Pace and Rusty, decides to retrace the original journey route from Farthing Wood to the park, and see his old home again. The story alternates between Owl's adventures, in which he finds Farthing Wood gone, replaced by a housing development called Farthinghurst, and the doings of the other animals back in White Deer Park. Not only do the companions have to contend with Trey, but they must also deal with the poisoning of their water supply by careless humans. Fox, in the meanwhile, confronts the possible death of his best friend, Badger. All stories converge as a terrible storm hits the area, putting everyone in danger...

I found In the Path of the Storm to be an engaging addition to the series, although I would not describe it as a personal favorite. I am very fond of both Fox and Badger, so their story together, as they confront what they believe to be Badger's death, and their own parting, was quite poignant. Tawny Owl, by contrast, has never been a favorite of mine - too pompous! - but I still enjoyed seeing him go off and have his own adventure, and find a mate (even if he was ashamed of needing her, sometimes). I also enjoyed the scenes in which Adder - always an underrated character - interacts with his mate, Sinuous. There are plenty of ecological messages in here for the reader, most notably in the passages describing how Farthing Wood was transformed, and in those discussing the humans who poisoned the water in White Deer Park. As one of the characters remarks at one point: "We all have good cause to know how careless humans are about tainting the land. No doubt they're as mindless about water." Indeed. Recommended to those readers who have read and enjoyed the previous entries in the series.

[Hannah Polley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved watching The Animals of Farthing Wood as a child and I'm sure we had a video of different episodes. When I saw this book sitting in an exchange bin I could not help but pick it up! I had not realised that the series was based on books.

Reading about Adder, Toad, Tawny Owl and Fox was just like greeting old friends. But I could not believe that Kestrel was dead! I don't remember her dying as a child. The main story that sticks out at me as a child is the fire.

This book is actually two separate Farthing Wood stories and considering the book is aimed at children, they are quite long stories.

Funnily enough, neither story is set in Farthing Wood as at this point in the series, they now live in the White Deer Park reserve as Farthing Wood has been turned into a housing estate.

The book can be quite upsetting as characters do die in it, it is not a namby pamby childrens book. It is more old school.

I gave it 3 stars more for the nostalgia feel and I did have to force myself to keep reading a bit.

However, I'm glad I read it and got to remember Farthing Wood again.

[Lara Vehar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one a lot. Trey was a good antagonist and I didn't mind the characters overall. Seeing Badger almost die but then recover - and then wonder out of the park and get back was amazing. I wasn't a huge fan of Holly but eh... I honestly preferred Tawny Owl to be alone over him meeting Holly. i loved that Owl travelled back to the Farthing Wood just so we can see what happened to it and that nothing is left afer that. Trey's defeat was a bit underwhelming but overall this was a decent book. I also love that the POV is split between Owl who travels back to Farthing wood and Fox and the others working against Trey in the park.

[Crazy_smiler · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think what I’m liking best with the series is some characters get to live longer. Lol

I’m still disappointed that the books didn’t have a bunch more than the show. This one does have some differences due to a character still alive but for the most part it matches the show. If I was asked hey should I read the books before watching the show I’d tell em to just watch the show n forget the books. Lol

[Casimir Laski · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sixth Farthing Wood novel sees the main cast facing off against the belligerent stag Trey after the death of the prior leader of the White Deer herd as a devastating storm approaches, and while not as strong as earlier highpoints in the series, it serves as a decent addition following the disappointing conclusion of the prior entry. [5/10]

[Isaac Blackwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book. One of the best in the series. All the old characters were great as were the new ones in Holly, Plucky and the Trey.

One more book to go. Fingers crossed it will be as good as this one.

[A.R. Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though Colin Dann will never be a four-star author for me, I found this Farthing Wood book the most enjoyable in the series so far. Tawny Owl can carry a subplot, I thought using the deer herd in the plot added something and I found myself more interested in Badger's welfare and feelings than I've ever been before. I felt that other characters suffered some personality loss, I found the descriptions of the hurricane to be terribly overstated, and those adverbs of his just keep on coming! Even so, I enjoyed the book overall. In particular I thought the resolution of everything (in stark contrast to the previous book) was highly appropriate, and even rather poetic.

[Lone Wolf · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sixth book in the ‘Farthing Wood’ series sees only a few of the original Farthing Wood animals still alive, and these ageing (not terribly realistically, either – some short-lived animals are still around, whilst longer-lived ones have apparently died of old age). Tawny Owl decides to retrace the animals’ route across country from their former home to see what it is like now, while the other creatures must deal with Trey, new leader of the white deer herd, who feels that all other animals are inferior. Oh, and there’s a hurricane. Still a good story, but the series is beginning to feel a little tired by this point. This book should definitely have been the last.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book swings from duller to more engaging periods - Tawny Owl's quest to return to Farthing Wood isn't as exciting as it ought to be due to him being a largely unlikable character, and his parts of the tale can't compare to the rest of his comrades, now defending themselves against the conceited new leader of the deer herd, Trey. Plucky, the grandson of Bold, is really given a chance to shine and his namesake nature is very much in evidence here. Adder's interactions with his mate Sinuous continue to be high points and the eventual hurricane is a gripping read.

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Naw, Tawny Owl! I always loved him, and his little side story is so entertaining. Of course, things are happening back in White Deer Park while he's away, and this story is equally fascinating. This book builds up and finally concludes with a storm, and all the resolutions. It was another of my favorites as a child.

Aw, only one book left in my re read of this series. :/ Ah well, I'll enjoy the last book just as much!

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trey was a jerk. Sad to find that White Deer Park isn't the heaven it was made out to be in the first book. But then, to discover a childrens' series that isn't all sunshine and roses is quite a nice find.

[Jake Collins · Rating 2 out of 5]

Still redundant overall, but slightly more entertaining than the previous entry in the series. I always found Owl's adventures back in Farthing Wood quite stimulating; I still think it's the most interesting idea that's been explored since Fox's Feud.

[Jebin]

Loved it.

[Sarah A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite but nice to learn about the deer since the park is named after them!

[Zayd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good book loved every bit of it