Better Together

Heartwood Hotel #3

by Kallie George, Stephanie Graegin (Illustrator)

Spring has come to Fernwood Forest, and the Heartwood Hotel is all a-bustle. With Mr. Heartwood off on vacation, it's up to Mona and the rest of the staff to keep everything running smoothly. When rumors buzz of a rival hotel, Gilles is determined to prove that the Heartwood is the very best with the splashiest Spring Splash the forest has ever seen. Guests check in from near and far to compete for the Cutest Egg, the Tiniest Talent, and the Best Blossom. Newcomer Henry is all too happy to help out, making Mona start to feel unsure of her place. Does the Heartwood really need her as much as she thought? But soon there's more to worry about than whose egg has the sweetest speckles. Some decidedly uninvited guests have been drawn to the festivities. Can Mona find a way to bring everyone together in time to save them all from danger? Readers will cheer for these kind, brave, beloved characters as they embark on their next adventure in the third book of the charmingly illustrated Heartwood Hotel series.

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

178 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 6, 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'm reading each book with the season it's set in, and I'm so happy I finally got to read the spring one! It was perfect, cozy, and thoughtful, as all the books in this series have been. <3

[Beka Metz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book in the series! These are such wonderful books for kids. Either to read on their own or for a cozy heartwarming story to share at bed time. The characters are all so wonderful and Kallie George is a wonderful writer!

[Blessing Bloodworth (naptimereaders) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read-aloud to 3yo & 5yo girls.
We are continuing to enjoy the sweet series in the woodland world of Fernwood Forest!
A slight critique I would give is that each book attempts to handle too many complex storylines for the intended audience.
Nevertheless, my girls have fallen for Mona and Tilly and we are looking forward to reading the final book!

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,7 étoiles (5/10 cœurs). Honnêtement, ce n'était pas mon histoire préférée de l'hôtel Heartwood. J'ai été assez déçue par la façon dont ils ont enfreint toutes les règles et ont révélé l'existence de l'hôtel, mettant tout le monde en danger pour l'avenir. En revanche, j'ai adoré la formidable leçon sur le prix de la concurrence et de la jalousie, et sur le fait que le chaos et le non-respect des règles peuvent être très pénible.

J'ai aussi aimé la façon dont Mona affronte ses sentiments et dont son amitié avec Tilly s'épanouit. Et j'ai apprécié, comme toujours, l'esthétique boisée, l'humour et la gentillesse bienveillante. Alors oui, j'ai vraiment adoré cette histoire et j'attends avec impatience le tome 4 !

———————

4.7 stars (5/10 hearts). Honestly, this wasn't my favourite Heartwood Hotel story. I was rather upset by how they basically broke all of the rules and made the hotel known, putting everyone in danger for the foreseeable future. On the other hand, I loved the fantastic lesson on the price of competition & jealousy, and how much chaos and disregard for regulations can hurt.

I also liked how Mona affronts her feelings and how her friendship with Tilly blooms. And I appreciated, as always, the woodsy aesthetic, the humour, and the supportive kindness. So yes, I definitely enjoyed this story and look forwards to book 4!

[Galleane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Retrouver Mona et toute la bande de l'Hôtel Heartwood était terriblement plaisant et si ce tome remue de nouvelles choses chez Mona, sa capacité à prendre du recul et à réfléchir à ses actes en fait un personnage toujours très riche et très intéressant à suivre. Ce tome fait le plein de sentiments, ils éclosent, piquent ou dégagent des odeurs doucereuses, à l'image de ce cher printemps.

Mon avis complet : http://bloggalleane.blogspot.com/2019...

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delight! Gentle, soft, sweet, I loved the story line of upkeep of the hotel and anxiety about a new hotel opening in the woods. Cannot wait to read the other 3 written so far. I love the sweet packaging of the story...the pictures look like rosemaling. (I also like how having a bad day is described as being a "grump". All of us can relate!)

[Laura Burkhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I gave this book five stars because it had lots of mystery, and because the Spring Splash was exciting. The best blossom contest was my favorite.” -A

Another adorable installment in the Heartwood series. We love these books!

[Kelsey Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

My girls are loving this sweet, wholesome series.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute as always!

[Kelsee Thaten · Rating 5 out of 5]

“i loved the story. my favorite parts were when the owls attacked the heartwood hotel, the water hotel and the pinecone press. i loved it when henry got scared of going outside, it made me wonder if there would be more scary stuff, but NO.” -THEO, age 4

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another cute installment in this good, clean series. I think I might've liked this one even more than No. 2, but I definitely think my boys like them much more than I do. So, what I'm saying is that they have kid appeal but not as much appeal for the adult who's reading aloud.

[Dena McMurdie · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO CUTE!! This series makes me smile from the inside out!

This is the third book in the Heartwood Hotel series and it takes place in the spring when the flowers are blooming and birds eggs are hatching.

The badger that owns the Heartwood needs a break from the busy winter, so he heads out on vacation, leaving the hotel in the hands of his employees. Amid rumors of a new hotel opening up in the forest, the animals decide to hold a special spring celebration to solidify their reputation as the best hotel.

Thus ensues the most adorable spring fling ever, complete with the cutest egg contest and tiniest talent competition.

I loved this book. It's a wonderful addition to the Heartwood Hotel collection and perfect for young readers that love books about forest animals. If you have a reader between the ages of 6-9, you'll definitely want this series on your shelf. With the cutest illustrations you've ever seen in a chapter book, this is a series kids will enjoy reading again and again.

Source: Thank you to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book.

[Gmr · Rating 4 out of 5]

An adorable addition to the growing Heartwood Hotel series with enough danger and excitement to keep it interesting, but a whole lot of the friendship and heart we've come to love. It was great visiting with old friends, enjoyable making new ones, and wonderful to see Mona settle in more at her new(ish) home.


**copy received for review

[Sarah Nealy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cozy and adorable! I love reading something happy and light before going to sleep at night, and I find that this series is just that. I always drift off to dreamland feeling relaxed and at peace after reading about the Heartwood Hotel!

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update 2023: I just finished this with my youngest (7), and she loved it!

This is one of our family's favorite series. Another great book!

[Aurore Lantez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Encore un tome plein de tendresse et de rebondissements à l’Hôtel Heartwood !

Dans ce troisième volet, on retrouve Mona, la petite souris aussi courageuse qu’attachante, en quête de réponses sur ses origines. Ce fil rouge apporte une belle touche d’émotion, et j’ai été particulièrement touchée par sa solitude face à l’arrivée de Henri, le petit frère de Tilly. Ce sentiment d’être un peu mise de côté est décrit avec beaucoup de justesse.

Le départ de Monsieur Heartwood chamboule l’équilibre de l’hôtel, et comme toujours, les imprévus s’invitent dans la vie des pensionnaires. Mais Mona ne baisse jamais les bras, et c’est ce qui rend cette série si réconfortante : une héroïne discrète mais déterminée, entourée d’une galerie d’animaux tous plus charmants les uns que les autres.

Une lecture doudou, parfaite pour les enfants… et pour les adultes qui aiment les ambiances cocooning, les jolies illustrations, et les histoires pleines de cœur.❤️

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute addition to this series!

There is something so nostalgic and sweet about the Heartwood Hotel. Loved this book for its sweet moments and its difficult ones. I liked seeing a different side of Mona in this story. I liked that she got frustrated and upset and jealous. It makes her more real.

Lots of fun characters around her as always -- Henry, Tilly, Giles, the Robinsons and their egg, and more.

The climax is more intense in this one. But the ending is lovely!

Loved reading this one aloud to my kids.

[Chloe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This continues to be a delightful read aloud series for a younger audience! I find myself getting better at shortcutting some of the dialogue and descriptions, because it’s just too wordy sometimes, but the plot is fun, the characters are sweet, and there’s just enough climax to excite younger kids.

I also love that some of the conflict is interpersonal and not just situational, because my kids do love to pick apart why relationships struggle, and what it takes to make them work. This all by itself makes the series stand out for me.

[Jordan Cuellar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very sweet third novel in the Heartwood Hotel series! I particularly enjoyed the conflict between Mona, Tilly, and Henry--how Mona felt like she was being replaced, how Tilly was overjoyed about finding her brother that she forgot about her friend, how Henry just wanted to fit in and be accepted. Growing up is hard and conflict between friends is never fun, but communicating with one another is necessary and helpful in any relationship. This book clearly showed how the busyness of life can cause us to forget that which is really important to us, but when times of trouble and danger come, our true friends will be there for us no matter what.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was our favorite in the series so far. We flew through it, even going to bed 30 mins early 2 nights so we could read more. This one was exciting, a little suspenseful, and filled with some great problem solving and naming of feelings that I appreciated. My boys love Heartwood Hotel and we can’t wait to start the last book tonight!

[Shira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how a new foe was introduced, and the lightning bug show! Plus, the lightning bugs and the bee's working together was spectacular! Here's one word that's a fit for this book. Splash!

[Hannah Dietrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was delightful! Absolutely loved the conflict between friends as Henry enters the friendships in the hotel and Mona navigates the space between her and her bestfriend while also trying to support her friend as she is reconciled with her long-lost brother.

Poor Gilles, he strives to make it the best season ever in the hotel while Mr. Heartwood is away, but leads to one of the most dangerous scenarios the hotel has endured. This also teaches the importance of good decision making and using wisdom rather than just striving to best each other.

The conflict between the bees and the fireflies was also a beautiful reconciliation between beauty and efficiency and an opportunity to see both.

I must say that so far, my 6 yr old boys have not been bored in a Heartwood book and look forward to reading the next one!

[Family Book Nook]

Read-aloud with the littles:

4 year old: "all the stars"

6 year old: "infinity stars"

[Kristiana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Daughter loved it.

Nothing wrong content-wise. Just not a classic for me.

[Analie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the first two books better, but I think kids will still enjoy the continuation of this cute series.

[stefiereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my fav book in the series so far :)
If I can visit Heartwood Hotel, I would do it in a heartbeat.

[Megan Warren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuation of a series M and I've been reading -- cute story & she's enjoyed it. We'll keep on with the series.

[Cassie Cole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, we really love this series as a family. We even hooked the Stumpps too while they were staying with us. We really liked the addition of the bumblebees and fireflies, and the theme of overcoming jealousy to work as a team.

[Sylvia Kinney · Rating 4 out of 5]

We enjoyed this one. The book showed how being jealous doesn’t help a situation and instead we need to be honest about our feelings. My kids and I have been loving reading this series together, and we are excited about book 4 and the release of book 5 later this year.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mona Mouse and Tilly Squirrel are the best of friends. But even the best of friends find it challenging to be together or to understand one another all the time.

On top of their challenge, Gilles, in Mr. Heartwood's absence, wants to make sure Heartwood remains the premier hotel in the wood. He creates quite a hullabaloo that can only be addressed when the animals follow Mr. Heartwood's precepts of kindness and care, cooperation and generosity.

These is a gentle series of friendship and fun. It is fun to imagine this magic happening in the forest behind the house.