Kelly Barnhill
Algonquin 2022
392 pages
Grades 3-6
Fantasy
Welcome to Stone-in-the-Glen, a little town where neighbors helped each other and the library, school, and businesses thrived. Unfortunately, that is in the past. Now the town's people are suspicious of each other, local business is withering, the school and library have been destroyed by a fire and the mayor, though charming, is reluctant to do anything about it. The town's orphanage is particularly desperate. They are overcrowded and underfunded. The two kind elderly people that run it are barely making ends meet. The oldest orphan is in fear of being sent off to seek her fame and fortune, since they no longer can afford to feed her. Something must be done. Meanwhile, a gentle ogress lives on the outskirts of town. She spends her nights baking for the townspeople and anonymously delivering goodies, as well as vegetables from her garden to the orphanage. The mayor wants to deflect responsibility for the sad state of affairs in the town and points a finger at the ogress, riling up the townsfolk to storm the ogress's farm. The orphans know that the ogress is a gentle and kind soul and that the mayor has something to hide. Can they help their new friend and get the town back on a civilized track?
Newbery winner, Barnhill, pens a new story, set in a fairytale world, reflecting out current one. Readers will not help but notice the parallels to the current climate in the US, as politicians blame groups of powerless people for all of the country's woes. All kids love an orphan, so a whole house of them is certainly a draw. The story is decent, as the scapy and clever orphans figure out a way to keep their unconventional family together and finally figure out exactly what happened to the town. The ogress's storylines finally converge with those of the orphans, as they all become friends. The mayor's identity is cool and readers will figure it out before it is revealed in the plot. Barnhill's language and tone is perfect for the fairytale setting and will help the readers fall into the story. The setting is realized and I felt as if I really was in Stone-in-the-Glen in a fairytale past. My complaint is that the story runs too long and it gets a bit draggy. I liked the book, but it took me a long time to get through it. Give it to smart kids who want or need long books to keep them busy for a while. The plot is straight forward and not too convoluted or violent, so it is a perfect choice for those readers who love fantasy, but might not be ready for Harry Potter or Percy Jackson.
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