Copyright Date:
2016
Edition Date:
2016
Release Date:
12/01/16
Pages:
227 pages
ISBN:
1-925240-79-7
ISBN 13:
978-1-925240-79-5
Dewey:
Fic
Dimensions:
20 cm.
Language:
English
Reviews:
ALA Booklist
(Wed Jun 01 00:00:00 CDT 2016)
It's not every day that a 12-year-old gets sent by her parents to a great-aunt's fabulous estate in Spain snoop around and make sure no outsiders are angling to get poor old Aunt Ursula's property. Nothing could have prepared Iris for Bosque de Nubes (Forest of Clouds), Ursula's estate, and its surreal goings-on. Why does Ursula look so much younger than her early 90s? What about the endless supply of strange paintings by Ursula's famous artist brother? Something invisible grabs Iris as she walks up the stairs. Sunflowers play tennis on the courts; ants crawl over the music sheets when the maid plays the piano, and then disappear. Is there really a tiger on the grounds? That rumor is just the beginning. Serious magic is in play here, and Iris and new friend Jordi, the groundskeeper's son, are determined to investigate the forces at work. Fantasy fans will delight in the wackiness, the surprising plot, and the family secrets revealed. Best of all is Iris' growing confidence amid the chaos.
"Readers will happily go along for the ride as Iris and Jordi combine method and adventure to solve these riddles. A quirky, cleareyed enchantment. More like this, please! (Mystery. 10-14)"-- Kirkus "A surrealist mystery (what could be more intriguing than that?) and a fantastic journey through life, art and families. Wise, whimsical, delightfully original, and altogether charming."--Cassandra Golds "Reminiscent of Elizabeth Goudge's classic The Little White Horse, full of mystery and an enchanting sense of elsewhere."--Martine Murray "Will appeal to older primary and younger high-school readers who like magic and are, like Iris, bored by teen romances."--Books + Publishing Twelve-year-old Iris has been sent to Spain on a mission: to make sure her elderly and unusual aunt, Ursula, leaves her fortune-and her sprawling estate--to Iris's scheming parents. But from the moment Iris arrives at Bosque de Nubes, she realises something isn't quite right. There is an odd feeling around the house, where time moves slowly and Iris's eyes play tricks on her. While outside, in the wild and untamed forest, a mysterious animal moves through the shadows. Just what is Aunt Ursula hiding? But when Iris discovers a painting named Iris and the Tiger, she sets out to uncover the animal's real identity-putting her life in terrible danger. Leanne Hall weaves surprisingly complex ideas about friendship and growing up into a wonderfully accessible novel for younger readers. Leanne Hall is the author of two novels for young adults, the Text Prize-winning This Is Shyness and its sequel Queen of the Night . This is her first middle-grade novel.