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Woodland Magic #1
Fox Cub Rescue
The first story in an illustrated magical adventure series from the bestselling author of the Unicorn Academy, brimming with drama and an environmental theme.
The Keepers are a secretive tribe of little people who live in the middle of Whispering Woods, coming out at night to care for the countryside and rewild it when humans (or Ruffins as they know them) are careless with it.
Young Keepers Cora and Jax have just finished school and are embarking on a trial, with several friends, to become fully-fledged Keepers. But their first venture out on their own ends in disaster when they become distracted with playing in the Ruffin children's playground instead of concentrating on the task they've been given. Can they ever be trusted to be Keepers in their own right?
A brilliant new magical series perfect for 6-8 year olds combining animal rescue, nature conservation and adventure.
The Keepers are a secretive tribe of little people who live in the middle of Whispering Woods, coming out at night to care for the countryside and rewild it when humans (or Ruffins as they know them) are careless with it.
Young Keepers Cora and Jax have just finished school and are embarking on a trial, with several friends, to become fully-fledged Keepers. But their first venture out on their own ends in disaster when they become distracted with playing in the Ruffin children's playground instead of concentrating on the task they've been given. Can they ever be trusted to be Keepers in their own right?
A brilliant new magical series perfect for 6-8 year olds combining animal rescue, nature conservation and adventure.
128 pages, Paperback
Published March 17, 2022
16 people want to read
About the author
Julie Sykes
232 books36 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Welcome to my website. Come on in and have a look around. You can find out about my books and also about me.
Name:
Julie Sykes
Birthday:
My birthday month is August
Place of birth:
Kingston upon Thames
Places I’ve lived:
My family moved to Australia just after I was born but returned to England in time for me to start school. I was educated in Surrey and lived there until I got married. I now live in the south of England with my husband and our three children. We used to live on a fish farm, which we shared with 300,000 rainbow trout. We share our current home with a few goldfish and a white wolf cunningly disguised as a dog.
Jobs:
I’ve worked in a kennels, shops, pubs and on a mushroom farm. My first full-time job was as a laboratory technician and after that a teacher. I’m now a full time writer.
First book published:
There were two - This and That and I Don’t Want To Go To Bed!
Favourite Things:
Family, friends, Spring (the season not the bouncy sort although bouncing is good, too), cappuccino, Danish pastries, Cornwall, the sea, books, animals, chocolate.
Worst Things:
Litter, vandals, cleaning the house, having NOTHING to read.
Hobbies:
Reading, walking, cooking, hanging out in cafés.
Welcome to my website. Come on in and have a look around. You can find out about my books and also about me.
Name:
Julie Sykes
Birthday:
My birthday month is August
Place of birth:
Kingston upon Thames
Places I’ve lived:
My family moved to Australia just after I was born but returned to England in time for me to start school. I was educated in Surrey and lived there until I got married. I now live in the south of England with my husband and our three children. We used to live on a fish farm, which we shared with 300,000 rainbow trout. We share our current home with a few goldfish and a white wolf cunningly disguised as a dog.
Jobs:
I’ve worked in a kennels, shops, pubs and on a mushroom farm. My first full-time job was as a laboratory technician and after that a teacher. I’m now a full time writer.
First book published:
There were two - This and That and I Don’t Want To Go To Bed!
Favourite Things:
Family, friends, Spring (the season not the bouncy sort although bouncing is good, too), cappuccino, Danish pastries, Cornwall, the sea, books, animals, chocolate.
Worst Things:
Litter, vandals, cleaning the house, having NOTHING to read.
Hobbies:
Reading, walking, cooking, hanging out in cafés.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
March 26, 2022
Enchanting illustrated fiction combines magic with conservation for young readers. Read my full review here: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....
February 2, 2022
A big thank you to NetGalley, Bonnier Books, and Piccadilly Press for letting us have an ebook to review.
Deep in Whispering Wood lives a hidden community of smallfolk, woodland sprite-like folk who are not much bigger than a mouse. Their home is called Hidden Middle, and from there they head into the 'Ruffin (human) world to look after nature, reseed, repair and protect the environment from the actions of Ruffins. They also live off the land and seek out and collect their food and discarded objects to help their hidden community.
Those that do this work are called 'Keepers', and they do their work very early in the morning, or the last thing at night when the Ruffins are asleep.
Out two protagonist friends are Cora and Jax. When the story opens they are hoping that their first trip out into the 'BIG OUTSIDE' as they call the woods and Ruffin occupied places will also be the day they are accepted as trainee Keepers. Both are keen. Cora knows she can succeed today. Jax, well, he's a bit bold and a fun-loving lad who loves to sprint around and play. Together they are prone to mishaps. Both know they don't want to go back to school.
Their given tasks, to reseed a playing field, seem so easy, with plenty of time available. But very soon the awe of the Big Outside and a Ruffin playground causes a series of events that test not only Cora's and Jax's friendship and jeopardises their future chances but also puts others, including a fox cub, in peril. All as a direct result of their actions!
We instantly fell in love with Cora and Jax and were quite at ease with Julie Sykes' Hidden Middle world from the first page. Katy Riddell's wonderful illustration add just the right atmosphere at just the right time to give the very same sprinkling of 'Keeper magic mist' that Cora uses during the adventure.
The underlying story of action and consequence was ably woven throughout, subtly at times, but always relevant to the story.
The book concludes with a wonderful activity for the reader to create their own wildflower meadow. We love these extra activities and are so pleased that more books are including them.
All in all, top marks for an adventure that is fun, thrilling and full of positive environmental actions and activities to encourage the young mind.
Deep in Whispering Wood lives a hidden community of smallfolk, woodland sprite-like folk who are not much bigger than a mouse. Their home is called Hidden Middle, and from there they head into the 'Ruffin (human) world to look after nature, reseed, repair and protect the environment from the actions of Ruffins. They also live off the land and seek out and collect their food and discarded objects to help their hidden community.
Those that do this work are called 'Keepers', and they do their work very early in the morning, or the last thing at night when the Ruffins are asleep.
Out two protagonist friends are Cora and Jax. When the story opens they are hoping that their first trip out into the 'BIG OUTSIDE' as they call the woods and Ruffin occupied places will also be the day they are accepted as trainee Keepers. Both are keen. Cora knows she can succeed today. Jax, well, he's a bit bold and a fun-loving lad who loves to sprint around and play. Together they are prone to mishaps. Both know they don't want to go back to school.
Their given tasks, to reseed a playing field, seem so easy, with plenty of time available. But very soon the awe of the Big Outside and a Ruffin playground causes a series of events that test not only Cora's and Jax's friendship and jeopardises their future chances but also puts others, including a fox cub, in peril. All as a direct result of their actions!
We instantly fell in love with Cora and Jax and were quite at ease with Julie Sykes' Hidden Middle world from the first page. Katy Riddell's wonderful illustration add just the right atmosphere at just the right time to give the very same sprinkling of 'Keeper magic mist' that Cora uses during the adventure.
The underlying story of action and consequence was ably woven throughout, subtly at times, but always relevant to the story.
The book concludes with a wonderful activity for the reader to create their own wildflower meadow. We love these extra activities and are so pleased that more books are including them.
All in all, top marks for an adventure that is fun, thrilling and full of positive environmental actions and activities to encourage the young mind.
February 10, 2022
This is a lovely story of Cora and Jax who are young Keepers who are embarking on becoming fully fledged Keepers. Obviously, due to their actions, things do not go to plan.
This story is to teach children that every action has a consequence and you have to think before you act.
My son and I loved the story and also loved the fact there are instructions on how to create your own Wildlife Meadow at the end of the book which we will definitely be doing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for my ARC.
This story is to teach children that every action has a consequence and you have to think before you act.
My son and I loved the story and also loved the fact there are instructions on how to create your own Wildlife Meadow at the end of the book which we will definitely be doing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for my ARC.
September 11, 2024
My 4-year-old was lukewarm on this book. But we will read the other three books
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews