Grayling's Song

March 21, 2016
Bringing fantasy elements to the historical terrain she is known for, Newbery Award–winner Cushman (The Midwife’s Apprentice) introduces timid Grayling Strong, who must stop a terrible dark entity that has invaded the land and caused those with magic—including Grayling’s “wise woman” mother, Hannah—to become rooted to the ground, their skin slowly turning to bark. Having no magic of her own, Grayling embarks on this quest equipped with a few magically infused songs and a basket full of potions intended to keep her safe. Shortly into her journey, however, a curious mouse finds his way into the basket and consumes the magic inside, leaving Grayling with a loyal, talking, shape-shifting pet she names Pook. They are soon joined a handful of spirited compatriots with questionable magic: Auld Nancy, a weather witch; her spoiled great-niece, Pansy; and an enchantress named Desdemona Cork. Written in Cushman’s characteristic straightforward, character-focused style, the story focuses less on plot, which is fairly formulaic, and more on Grayling’s path to discovering her own strength, wit, and determination. Ages 10–12. Agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown.

Starred review from April 15, 2016
A timid young girl must venture out into the wider world in an effort to find allies and save her mother from malignant magic.Her home in ashes and her mother rooted to the ground--literally--Grayling reluctantly sets out with a handful of herbs and potions and a song that calls wise folk to gather. Her meager pharmacopeia is quickly gone, devoured by a small mouse that winds up playing a large role in her adventures. The gathering song works, more or less, and Grayling is joined by an elderly weather witch and her sulky apprentice, a self-absorbed enchantress, and an academic (and ineffectual) wizard. Cushman crafts these characters with humor and humanity, avoiding caricature while giving each a distinctive personality. Unfortunately, none of her companions seems to know much more than Grayling about what evil is abroad or how to combat it. The plot unwinds smoothly as the group experiences setbacks and danger while traveling through a clearly limned, seemingly medieval, and presumptively all-white kingdom. The eventual revelation of just who unleashed the destructive power manages to be simultaneously unexpected, plausible, and thought-provoking.Despite her self-doubt, Grayling is cut from the same cloth as the author's other sturdy heroines, but she is also an entirely original and endearing character that readers will cheer on as she seeks to save her mother and return her world to rights. (Fantasy. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2016) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

March 1, 2016

Gr 3-6-Grayling's mother, a healer and wise woman, is turning into a tree, and Grayling is the only one who can save her. It all started when a shadow attacked and burned their cottage, stole their grimoire, and rooted her mother into the ground. Sent with only a basket of spells and her mother's powerful songs, Grayling must find a way to stop the shadow. Rich in details that bring to life the magical woodland setting, Cushman's latest novel is full of adventure and clever characters. Readers are also introduced to memorable secondary characters, including a shape-shifting mouse, a radiant enchantress, and a wizard who uses cheese to tell the future, each of whom finds their way to Grayling through her enchanted song. VERDICT Young fans of magic will revel in delving into this new world with its cast of unique characters.-Kris Hickey, Columbus Metropolitan Library, OH

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2016
Grades 5-8 Grayling lives with her mother, a wise woman whose spells help the locals with their ailments and troubles. The girl does the drudge work until the day her mother starts turning into a tree, rooted in the ground. Her grimoire, a book of spells, has disappeared, and she directs Grayling to go out into the world, find the book, and save her. But how is an unskilled girl supposed to do that? So begins the heroine's journey, facing danger at every turn and armed with nothing but the ability to hear the book's song, which she dutifully follows. Along the way she meets an old woman and her petulant charge, a silky enchantress, and a teacher of sorcery who is as much trouble as he is help. Unfortunately, none of these self-interested characters give readers much to root for. Even Grayling, though she evolves from fearful girl to confident leader, is rather flat throughout, and fans of the author's strong heroines may find her lacking. Still, Cushman writes so evocatively that readers might yet be swept along by the story.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2016
When her wise-woman mother morphs into a tree, Grayling gathers modestly gifted witches and wizards and sets out to find a book of spells to combat the evil force responsible. Ultimately, unmagical Grayling herself solves the problem and realizes her own strength in leadership. Down-to-earth, often comic language and an opinionated cast of characters enliven this historically based fantasy.

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

May 1, 2016
Cushman's previous works (The Midwife's Apprentice, rev. 7/95; Will Sparrow's Road, rev. 11/12; etc.) fall into the realm of historical fiction; this novel is historically based but a fantasy, set in a culture inspired by, but not wedded to, medieval Europe. It's a moral tale with a simple lesson: it is not magic but rather "courage, cleverness, imagination, good judgment, and good sense" that make for a hero who can overcome evil. When her wise-woman mother begins to morph into a tree, Grayling sets out to find her mother's missing book of spells in the hope of combatting the vaguely defined evil force responsible for the nasty enchantment. "Neither brave nor eager for adventure," she succeeds nonetheless in gathering a gaggle of modestly gifted witches and wizards (traversing en route many a bramble thicket and icy watercourse). In the end, unmagical Grayling herself solves the problem and, more notably, realizes her own strength in leadership. Cushman's simple narrative line of one mishap after another is enlivened by her customary down-to-earth, often comic language ("Oh, rats and rabbit droppings!" exclaims Grayling); and by her opinionated cast of characters. deirdre f. baker

(Copyright 2016 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)