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Dimwood Forest #6
Poppy and Ereth
The sixth book in the beloved Poppy series by Newbery Medal–winning author Avi, with illustrations from Caldecott Medal–winning artist Brian Floca
Has Ereth lost Poppy forever?
Poppy, a deer mouse, has spent the long winter curled up inside her tree snag home in Dimwood Forest. When the ground thaws and life returns to the woods, Poppy sets out in search of excitement.
Suddenly, swooped up by Luci the bat, Poppy is flying high over the forest. Meanwhile, Poppy’s best friend, Ereth the grumbling porcupine, who was with Poppy when she vanished, is convinced that she has died. He sets out to give her the best funeral ever.
Can Poppy find her way out of the bats’ cave to set Ereth straight and return home after the adventure of a lifetime?
Has Ereth lost Poppy forever?
Poppy, a deer mouse, has spent the long winter curled up inside her tree snag home in Dimwood Forest. When the ground thaws and life returns to the woods, Poppy sets out in search of excitement.
Suddenly, swooped up by Luci the bat, Poppy is flying high over the forest. Meanwhile, Poppy’s best friend, Ereth the grumbling porcupine, who was with Poppy when she vanished, is convinced that she has died. He sets out to give her the best funeral ever.
Can Poppy find her way out of the bats’ cave to set Ereth straight and return home after the adventure of a lifetime?
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2009
21 people are currently reading
776 people want to read
About the author
Avi
346 books1,715 followersAvi is a pen name for Edward Irving Wortis, but he says, "The fact is, Avi is the only name I use." Born in 1937, Avi has created many fictional favorites such as
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle,
Nothing but the Truth,
and the Crispin series. His work is popular among readers young and old.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
November 29, 2018
Such a cute and heartwarming story!
August 3, 2010
Poppy and Ereth, the last book in the Poppy Stories, begins with a tragic death (I won't tell you who's!) and from there onward, Grandma Poppy embarks on a fantastic adventure that goes sky-high, making enemies and many unexpected friends and allies.
Meanwhile, Ereth the grumpy porcupine wonders if he has indeed lost his only friend forever. He himself learns lots of new things on an adventure of his own. Like how to smile :)
This book was a very satisfying conclusion to the Poppy books! I wouldn't have discovered it if I hadn't a Goodreads account :)
I savored every fresh word, delighted in the surprises they gave me as, one by one, they formed the last book in the Poppy Stories. I loved reading it!
Meanwhile, Ereth the grumpy porcupine wonders if he has indeed lost his only friend forever. He himself learns lots of new things on an adventure of his own. Like how to smile :)
This book was a very satisfying conclusion to the Poppy books! I wouldn't have discovered it if I hadn't a Goodreads account :)
I savored every fresh word, delighted in the surprises they gave me as, one by one, they formed the last book in the Poppy Stories. I loved reading it!
September 13, 2021
Love me some grumpy old Ereth, the porcupine! What a wonderful childrens series!
March 9, 2013
This is the last book of the Tales of Dimwood Forest series.
In the introduction, the author specifically states that he "worked hard to join many of the characters, events, and memories of the previous five books." With that kind of set-up, I was especially disappointed that Mephitis, Nimble, Tumble, and Flip did not appear in this book. A passing mention was made of the three foxes, but I would have liked to have seen them interact with Ereth again. At the very least, it would have been nice to find out if they ever did visit Ereth. Moreover, Mephitis's complete absence was particularly troublesome because the previous book led us to believe that he and Ereth would be living together, like a family. So, what happened to him!?
Ereth, one of my favorite characters throughout the series, also left me feeling disappointed. Yes, he was grumpy and short-tempered, but he loved Poppy, and he was not self-centered. His bizarre speech and behavior at Poppy's "funeral" seemed to be out of character for him.
I think a forest fire as a central plot element was good, but was it really necessary to burn the whole forest down? Destroying all of Dimwood Forest seemed too final, as if the end of our time with Poppy should be equivalent to the end of Dimwood Forest, period. I would have preferred to say goodbye to Poppy and Ereth while also preserving the knowledge that future generations of wildlife would make their homes and find their own adventures within the same forest. Yes, this book left us with one small sign of hope... but it just wasn't enough for me. What would happen to all the wildlife in the meantime?
Also, I just didn't like the idea of Ragweed's earring being the cause of the fire. Rather than the fire simply being an act of nature, it's almost as if Ragweed and Poppy (with her decision to put the earring in the tree) were direct causes of the mass destruction. That just seemed wrong.
Still, after all that, this book managed a 3-star rating from me. I liked the way Junior had matured. I liked Spruce, Luci, and the whole bat colony. I even lamented the fact that Rye never saw the beauty of a bat cave. I liked the way Poppy and Bounder formed an alliance in the face of a common threat, similar to the way the animals were united against the threat of man in Ereth's Birthday. And, I like that neither Poppy nor Ereth died.
In the introduction, the author specifically states that he "worked hard to join many of the characters, events, and memories of the previous five books." With that kind of set-up, I was especially disappointed that Mephitis, Nimble, Tumble, and Flip did not appear in this book. A passing mention was made of the three foxes, but I would have liked to have seen them interact with Ereth again. At the very least, it would have been nice to find out if they ever did visit Ereth. Moreover, Mephitis's complete absence was particularly troublesome because the previous book led us to believe that he and Ereth would be living together, like a family. So, what happened to him!?
Ereth, one of my favorite characters throughout the series, also left me feeling disappointed. Yes, he was grumpy and short-tempered, but he loved Poppy, and he was not self-centered. His bizarre speech and behavior at Poppy's "funeral" seemed to be out of character for him.
I think a forest fire as a central plot element was good, but was it really necessary to burn the whole forest down? Destroying all of Dimwood Forest seemed too final, as if the end of our time with Poppy should be equivalent to the end of Dimwood Forest, period. I would have preferred to say goodbye to Poppy and Ereth while also preserving the knowledge that future generations of wildlife would make their homes and find their own adventures within the same forest. Yes, this book left us with one small sign of hope... but it just wasn't enough for me. What would happen to all the wildlife in the meantime?
Also, I just didn't like the idea of Ragweed's earring being the cause of the fire. Rather than the fire simply being an act of nature, it's almost as if Ragweed and Poppy (with her decision to put the earring in the tree) were direct causes of the mass destruction. That just seemed wrong.
Still, after all that, this book managed a 3-star rating from me. I liked the way Junior had matured. I liked Spruce, Luci, and the whole bat colony. I even lamented the fact that Rye never saw the beauty of a bat cave. I liked the way Poppy and Bounder formed an alliance in the face of a common threat, similar to the way the animals were united against the threat of man in Ereth's Birthday. And, I like that neither Poppy nor Ereth died.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2025
This is the last Poppy book! Maggie and I have read them all. I asked Maggie why she liked these so much and she said because Ereth says funny things and there is always a problem that gets solved. That makes her glad. In this one she said she loved that the bats were in it and saved everyone in the end. I’m sad we are all done reading these. The foreword made me cry because Maggie literally is one of Poppy’s friends. ❤️
December 24, 2023
Review originally published 22 Jan 2023 at Falling Letters.
Way back in 2013, I added the remaining Dimwood Forest books I’d yet to read to my TBR. Chronologically, Poppy and Ereth is the final book in the series. In 2020, Avi published Ragweed and Poppy . So that leaves Ereth’s Birthday , Poppy’s Return , and Ragweed and Poppy on my TBR. The first Dimwood Forest book I read was Ragweed (first chronologically but third published, iirc). I was about seven years old at the time. I wanted a pet mouse to name Ragweed!
I don’t read many anthromorphic animal books. But since I read Ragweed in my earliest novel-reading days, this series has a special place in my heart. I enjoyed this book as much as any of the others. I adore Floca’s illustrations. They truly help bring the forest to life. I also love Avi’s writing style in this series. The dialogue and character descriptions make the books fun to read. I also appreciate his descriptions of nature. I would read more anthromorphic animal books if they were all written like this. (I did recently read Megan Wagner Lloyd’s Haven , which came pretty close, even though it is about a cat and has more human involvement.) Although the stories are mostly lighthearted, there were a number of poignant moments in this one. I found the themes of rebirth and staying young at heart made a satisfying conclusion to the series.
Way back in 2013, I added the remaining Dimwood Forest books I’d yet to read to my TBR. Chronologically, Poppy and Ereth is the final book in the series. In 2020, Avi published Ragweed and Poppy . So that leaves Ereth’s Birthday , Poppy’s Return , and Ragweed and Poppy on my TBR. The first Dimwood Forest book I read was Ragweed (first chronologically but third published, iirc). I was about seven years old at the time. I wanted a pet mouse to name Ragweed!
I don’t read many anthromorphic animal books. But since I read Ragweed in my earliest novel-reading days, this series has a special place in my heart. I enjoyed this book as much as any of the others. I adore Floca’s illustrations. They truly help bring the forest to life. I also love Avi’s writing style in this series. The dialogue and character descriptions make the books fun to read. I also appreciate his descriptions of nature. I would read more anthromorphic animal books if they were all written like this. (I did recently read Megan Wagner Lloyd’s Haven , which came pretty close, even though it is about a cat and has more human involvement.) Although the stories are mostly lighthearted, there were a number of poignant moments in this one. I found the themes of rebirth and staying young at heart made a satisfying conclusion to the series.
December 20, 2020
3.5 <3
June 8, 2011
I didn't like how Rye died, but it opened a whole new opportunity for an adventure. When poppy got caught by a bat, who thought Poppy was a moth, it made an even bigger adventure. but when Spruce went looking for Poppy, he discovered the fire that started on Bannock Hill! While he was hiding, he heard loud galloping and a soft plop and went out and found Poppy! They went to "Poppy's funeral" and she told her kids to go out in different directions to see if the fire had surrounded them, and it had. Then they called in Luci the bat and told her to get every bat to carry them to safety. Ereth refused to get carried by a bat, but finally agreed when Poppy told him the cave floor was made of his favorite food,salt! As he was getting carried away, he screamed,"bring me to the salt!" After the fire stopped, Poppy,Spruce,and Ereth moved north with the bats to an old mine. And that how it ends. It leves you hanging. To bad Avi said this was the last book. Maybe they will continue, but instead of the Poppy series, they will be the Ereth series! :)
Read
February 9, 2017it was really good and really heart warming
December 9, 2009
I loooooooooooooooooooooooooove this book! I can't wait to see how it ends!
October 18, 2010
Very funny and fun. Great for animal-lovers.
June 14, 2011
So far this is a great,last book of the series,that's full of adventure.
September 19, 2013
Cute story for the whole family.
March 4, 2018
It is always so interesting to see, that Goodreads immediately shows this book as #5 in a series. If I had read the back of the CD case, I would also have known this.
I should and would have enjoyed this book more if the animal thinking was consistent: Ereth sees Poppy fly in the air, going up and up. He immediately thinks that she, after she disappears from sight, that she is at her home. He goes there, and is disappointed that she is not there. Ereth then thinks that she is dead, and when another animal goes into Poppy's home to look for her, Ereth is impatient, since he knows for sure that Poppy is not among the living.
Ugh.
I should and would have enjoyed this book more if the animal thinking was consistent: Ereth sees Poppy fly in the air, going up and up. He immediately thinks that she, after she disappears from sight, that she is at her home. He goes there, and is disappointed that she is not there. Ereth then thinks that she is dead, and when another animal goes into Poppy's home to look for her, Ereth is impatient, since he knows for sure that Poppy is not among the living.
Ugh.
December 6, 2021
The kids and I have loved this series and found it to be a fitting conclusion (though we do still have to go back and read some of the previous books we missed). We loved the humor and enjoyed the easy way Avi introduced us to nature, animal habitats, etc. I also appreciated the tender but very real way Avi incorporated death, grief, and loss into these books. I worried it might be too much for my kids, but it wasn't. The kids re-listen to the audio versions and have included characters and plot points into every day conversation - these characters have become family. We will definitely read them again.
July 17, 2017
This is #6 in the Perma-Bound edition I read.
I was wondering how Avi would bring these adventures to a close - series have a tendency to lag as they drag on. This did not disappoint!
I can't decide which episode is my favorite, but I'm leaning to this one. Avi cleverly reminds the reader of all the past adventures, tragedies, and mishaps; and leaves us with the feeling that there is always another adventure just around the corner.
If bats, foxes, porcupines and mice can be friends, can us humans do any less?? So much in this series to discuss with young readers!
I was wondering how Avi would bring these adventures to a close - series have a tendency to lag as they drag on. This did not disappoint!
I can't decide which episode is my favorite, but I'm leaning to this one. Avi cleverly reminds the reader of all the past adventures, tragedies, and mishaps; and leaves us with the feeling that there is always another adventure just around the corner.
If bats, foxes, porcupines and mice can be friends, can us humans do any less?? So much in this series to discuss with young readers!
Read
January 16, 2022Poppy and Ereth is part of a larger series and I have read a few of them. I keep going back to the series because of the characters. The brave and adventurous Poppy's life is full of what all of our lives have, joy, pain, and family. Her best friend, Ereth the grumpy porcupine is front and center in this edition of the series and as always brings such realism to the story. For me, creating a world of animals and their stories has always been a fascinating world and I enjoy entering into that world for a time.
July 26, 2022
Ereth was Ereth in typical Ereth fashion throughout this book, and I absolutely loved him. It's always sad reaching the end of a great series of books, because it feels like saying goodbye to some good friends. I know I'll miss Poppy, Ereth, Rye, Ragweed, Luci, and even little Spruce long after the memories of their hijinks fades. I highly recommend this book and this wonderfully delightful series.
December 24, 2020
A sassy book of how age is just a number, how friends will always care for you, and how friends can be made anywhere. Poppy grieves for her late husband Rye goes on a brilliant adventure to a bat colony due to a misidentification from a young bat. Ereath believes Poppy’s dead and plans her funeral. So fun!
September 9, 2021
This is not a good book to read when you've recently lost someone. There is tragedy after tragedy and a heightened sense of fear throughout the whole book. Of course everything turns out okay in the end, but there wasn't much humor or lightheartedness like in some of the other books in this series.
July 30, 2017
This series is a favorite read for my 9 year old daughter. She especially enjoyed the porcupine, Ereth, and his grumpy attitude.
August 20, 2017
What a fabulous series! We are so sad to have come to the end of the Dimwood Forest series!
March 2, 2018
Perfect end to the Poppy saga.
Still love Ereth! He reminds me of my grandpa.
Still love Ereth! He reminds me of my grandpa.
November 12, 2018
A very sweet end to a very sweet series.
August 18, 2020
Ereth is one of my favorite characters ever.
August 24, 2020
Loved this series. The boys were sad when it ended.
February 27, 2021
one of the best
March 31, 2021
A nice ending to the series. I recommend Poppy, Ereth's Birthday and this one. The other three could be skipped without losing any of the story.
March 14, 2022
Great end to a great series!! My son and I loved reading these.
October 12, 2022
This was a good book. Thumbs up recommend!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews