Gr 4-6 When Ned was young, he and his twin brother built a raft and tried to sail to the sea. The raft sank, and one boy survived-the wrong boy, if you ask the villagers in Ned's tiny town. Alternately whispered about, teased, and outright ignored, Ned survives his brother's death with a stutter and an air of palpable sadness that seems to weigh down his weak frame. Meanwhile, in the middle of a formidable forest the villagers claim used to be home to nine stone giants, a young girl named Aine lives a fractured life with her father, who leads a horde of bloodthirsty bandits. When the raiders attempt to steal the magic Ned's mother guards so faithfully, Ned and Aine end up as unlikely allies on a journey to right an ancient wrong. Careful, confident Aine; whose skills, both domestic and wild, make her a formidable ally (and excellent heroine), is a studied contrast to the weaker, shy Ned. The boy's growing confidence and ability to wield and protect his mother's magic adds elements of a classic origin-quest tale to a story that's already brimming with a well-drawn, colorful supporting cast, a strong sense of place, and an enchanted forest with a personality to rival some of the best depictions of magical woods. Elisabeth Gattullo Marrocolla, Darien Library, CT

After the accident that killed his twin brother, Ned stutters badly, so he assists his mother with the magic entrusted to her. When the magic is threatened, Ned flees with it and encounters confident and crafty Aine. Together they head off on a journey to save their kingdoms, their families, and the world. This atmospheric, elegantly told literary fairy tale sustains and subverts the usual tropes.

Ned's parents kept him safe at home after the accident that led to his brother drowning. But he is unknowingly burdened by his brother's soul, which his mother (a village healer) magically stitched to his chest following the disaster. Ned knows little about the ancient magic his family is sworn to protect, but when the magic becomes physically bound to him, he must bear that burden while fending off villains who covet its power. Aiding him are new allies: a wolf and another strong-willed, independent child, Áine, the daughter of the Bandit King, who deals with her own troubles with equal determination. The narrative shifts frequently among characters and subplots, and the story's intricate connections are gradually revealed as the story moves forward. While the story's broad, complex canvas seems to diffuse the novel's focus, Barnhill writes well, with vivid characters, well-turned phrases, and imaginative story lines, and many readers will respond to the two courageous protagonists and their unusual adventures.