YA Fantasy - Boy goes to another land through a tree. He takes a dangerous journey and comes home at the end.

[Stephanie]

YA - Boy goes to another land through a tree. He takes a dangerous journey and comes home at the end.

I think this may have been set during a time of war but it was not the main focus for the boy.

There may have been a scene where he comes home in the backyard garden and he may have had a step mother.

I think his room had bookshelves and he liked to read.

He met a kind creature when arriving in the new land but not all were kind. It was a dangerous journey home. The kind tree creature told him how to get home.

I read this book in 2016 but it was not a new release. I read The Book of Lost Things around the same time and may be confusing some of the details.

[Rainbowheart]

Does anything on this list look familiar?

Inside (or Through) the Tree

[Stephanie]

Thank you for offering this list! It is not one I have found yet. But no, nothing on here looks to be the book I am searching for.

[Capn]

How old is the boy? Teenager (YA age), right?

There's another tree list you could try:

Portal is in Forest (or trees):
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

and also one for Sentinent Trees (assuming that's what you mean by 'tree creature' and not a tree-dwelling creature!):
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/9...

[Stephanie]

Hi Capn - Thanks for responding! Apologies for the late reply, it took me some time to look through both lists. Many seemed like the right book at first glance. But I have not found it yet.

I don’t remember the exact age of the boy. I think between about 14 and 17.

The creature is a tree dwelling creature! But he rarely leaves the tree. I think he only left the tree once in the book but to help the boy.

I am not sure how to search for these lists of books. Is there one for tree dwelling creatures?

Thanks!
Stephanie

[Capn]

Aww, drat!

Here's the main Listopia link:
https://www.goodreads.com/list?ref=na...
(at the top of your screen, under Browse, there's "Lists").

You can search by keyword from that page, or if you scroll a little farther, by 'tag' (sometimes more useful, especially if your search term is a common one).

It's an under-utilized resource, and one I encourage people to use (and add to!) as much as possible! :) You can find great suggestions that way!

There was an earlier thread here that reminds me of this search - I think this is too high-fantasy, but just in case one of the misses sounds familiar...:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Capn]

I just circled around to this thread again. I've got an 'outside chance' suggestion, that's pretty flimsy:
Starchild and Witchfire


It's quite obscure but I've read it (have a copy) and can take a look for details if needed. The thing is, I think you'd remember other things about this book if it was the one. But the character leaving the trees just to help the lost boy - that fits.

[Capn]

CorkyNSam92 had the good idea to link these threads:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Could you be searching for the same book as Kevin read? 1970s or earlier?

[Kevin]

Stephanie and I are not looking for the same book Her description is very different that my story.
Kevin

[CorkyNSam92]

thanks for the update. When I put the comment in the thread Kevin started I could pretty much just remember Stephanie's post mentioning going through the tree to the other land and it being during a time of war. I think Kevin's post had mentioned a tree and it being during war time. that's why I asked if it could be the same. i couldn't go back and forth between each thread very fast using the app. Sorry for any confusion folks. Hopefully the books can be found for Stephanie and Kevin.

[Capn]

CorkyNSam92 wrote: "thanks for the update. When I put the comment in the thread Kevin started I could pretty much just remember Stephanie's post mentioning going through the tree to the other land and it being during ..."

It's always nice to double-check - it's amazing how often 2 totally disparate users are currently searching for the same hard-to-find book. ;) No harm in linking, and good thinking!