Willa of Dark Hollow

May 28, 2021
Grades 4-7 In the sequel to Willa of the Wood (2018), Beatty revisits the fae girl Willa, who lives in the Smokey Mountains of Appalachia and defends her natural surroundings from loggers and human encroachment. Now living with a human family who love the natural world as much as she does, Willa finds herself protecting them from a greedy company hungry for their land, while also parsing out the growth of an evil force of what might be angry ghosts, as well as the mysterious appearance of a girl with wheat-colored hair whom Willa seems connected to. There's a lot of action, as Willa and her new friend fight the denizens of what Willa calls Dark Hollow and try to bring together the remnants of the fae, local families, and Native Americans against the men destroying their forest. The story will appeal to fans of the first book, and to those who like their fantasy blended with environmental issues.

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Starred review from May 1, 2021
A young Faeran girl puts everything on the line to save her home and the family she loves. Emerging from the charred ruins of the Faeran forest lair, 13-year-old green-skinned, brown-haired Willa has formed a new family with humans who care about the Great Smoky Mountain as much as she does. Unfortunately, the Sutton Lumber Company has plans to clear the forest for railroad tracks. Her White adoptive father, Nathaniel, has become a leading voice against the destruction, making him a target. After he is arrested on suspicion of murdering loggers, Willa asks for help from her Faeran clan, but they blame her for the death of their leader and subsequent loss of their old home. Even the forest itself has grown hostile as strange, deathly cold creatures attack. Adelaide, a new blond, blue-eyed friend, and Hialeah, Nathaniel's White and Cherokee daughter, join Willa in protecting the forest, clearing Nathaniel's name, saving the Faeran, and unraveling the mystery of the malicious beasts. This duology closer is a captivating, stirring tale of family, friendship, the environment, and our place in the world. At every turn, Willa is faced with higher stakes and decisions that are even harder to make; the consequences of each choice weigh on her heart. The gorgeous prose and imagery of the mountains will inspire in readers a deep admiration for nature and support for Willa's fight. A fantastic, heartbreaking crescendo that echoes beyond the final page. (Fantasy. 10-14)

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