Columbiana County, Ohio - a place of dark woods, meandering creeks, open farmland, and twisting narrow back country roads. It's colorful there, from the flat farmland in the north to the rolling hills in the south. Picture postcard perfect. Almost. There are also the haunted ruins of a lock and canal system, the Sprucevale ghost town, legends of Big Foot, and other...things...said to walk the dark woods. But it wouldn't be so bad if that's all it was. There is something else in those woods, something ancient, as old as time. It waits and watches, and sometimes whispers to the unsuspecting. On rare occasions someone stumbles upon it. Fortunately, most don't live to regret it.
“Woodsqueer” is sometimes used to describe the mindset of a person who has taken to the wild for an extended period of time. Gretchen Legler is no stranger to life away from the rapid-fire pace of the twenty-first century, which can often lead to a kind of stir-craziness. Woodsqueer chronicles her experiences intentionally focusing on not just making a living but making a life—in this case, an agrarian one more in tune with the earth on eighty acres in backwoods Maine. Building a home with her partner, Ruth, on their farm means learning to live with solitude, endless trees, and the wild animals the couple come to welcome as family. Whether trying to outsmart their goats, calculating how much firewood they need for the winter, or bartering with neighbors for goods and services, they hone life skills brought with them (carpentry, tracking and hunting wild game) and other skills they learn along the way (animal husbandry, vegetable gardening, woodcutting). Legler’s story is at times humbling and grueling, but it is also amusing. A homage to agrarian American life echoing the back-to-the-land movement popularized in the mid-twentieth century, Woodsqueer reminds us of the benefits of living close to the land. Legler unapologetically considers what we have lost in America, in less than a century—individually and collectively—as a result of our urban, mass-produced, technology-driven lifestyles. Illustrated with rustic pen-and-ink illustrations, Woodsqueer shows the value of a solitary sojourn and both the pathway to and possibilities for making a sustainable, meaningful life on the land. The result, for Legler and her partner, is an evolution of their humanity as they become more physically, emotionally, and even spiritually connected to their land and each other in a complex ecosystem ruled by the changing seasons.
Three teens investigate a mysterious death to break a curse, escape dark forces, and do the right thing in this suspenseful tale for middle schoolers. For as long as the Vickery twins can remember, Lee and his mother have served Memory, while Felix and his father assist Death. This is the Agreement. But one Halloween, Gretchen Whipple smashes her way into their lives. Her bargain is simple: If the twins help her solve the murder of local girl Essie Hasting, she’ll help them break the Agreement. The more the three investigate, however, the more they realize that something’s gone terribly wrong in their town. Death is on the loose, and if history repeats itself, Essie’s might not be the last murder in Poplar Wood . . . Simultaneously heartwarming and delightfully spooky, The House in Poplar Wood is a story about a boy’s desire to be free, a girl’s desire to make a difference, and a family’s desire to be together again. Praise for The House in Poplar Wood “With expert pacing and detailed worldbuilding, the story unfurls into a smart, thrilling mystery, equal parts dark and gentle, that explores questions about freedom, power, and choosing one’s master.” —Publishers Weekly, starred review “The suspenseful plot is unspooled slowly, but the magical elements, evocative, intelligent writing, and ever ratcheting suspense keep it interesting.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review “The foreboding atmosphere perfectly matches the dark mystery and high stakes confronting the middle-schoolers.” —Booklist “A breathtaking and elegant tale with vivid prose, a spooky setting, and a fiercely determined group of unlikely friends. Will have readers flipping pages late into the night.” —Ashley Herring Blake, acclaimed author of Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World
Story 1: LITTLE GRETCHEN AND THE WOODEN SHOE by ELIZABETH HARRISON Story 2: TOINETTE AND THE ELVES by SUSAN COOLIDGE Story 3: MR. BLUFF'S EXPERIENCES OF HOLIDAYS by OLIVER BELL BUNCE
The last three instalments in this hilarious high fantasy witch series all wrapped up in a neat bundle. The Head of the Horseman Getting waylaid in the forest by a headless horseman wasn’t what Gretchen was expecting in the dead of night, and she’s on a mission to get her hat back from this ghostly thief. And evict her new houseguest while she’s at it. Nora has given up her position with the baron, and has grandiose plans of taking up a seat on the Witches Council. Gretchen doesn’t have the heart to tell her it’s a long shot, but can’t put up with her crowding up the cottage indefinitely. The Kingmaker’s Sword Gretchen always knew her trusty infinity pouch held a world full of secrets, but she didn’t imagine she was carrying around a relic that could bring down a kingdom. Or that it would land her into a boiling pot where she ends up a fugitive from the witches and wizards alike. But standing accused of a shocking crime she didn’t commit, this witch refuses to give in. Queen Mab’s Castle The glimmer of a portal in the sky is too much to resist when Gretchen finds herself feeling old and frumpy. And on the other side it’s all booze and parties. Then she finds someone who looks a lot like Aunt Esme, and all thoughts of a bender are pushed aside. Fleeing into the fairy forest, Gretchen learns she’s stumbled into Queen Mab’s realm, and is now the fox fleeing the hounds. For lighthearted fun with fickle moments of tragedy and feel good moments, join Gretchen on her travels in this final boxed set. You can't help but cheer for this purveyor of potions, unlikely champion of the downtrodden, and all round good samaritan of the magical world. 'This story reminded me irresistibly of Terry Pratchett's Discworld Witch books' - Two Books Blog
Books 4-6 in this hilarious high fantasy witch series all wrapped up in a neat boxed set. Witches Teeth The last time Gretchen thought about tooth fairies she was a kid, but now she has an unwanted night visitor fixated on her chompers. When she learns that witches teeth are a valuable commodity, Gretchen draws a link between the realm of tooth fairies and her missing Great Aunt Esme. Psycho Mirror A morning which started with tax collectors ends up with Gretchen offering her clandestine services to the King himself. One friend is missing, the other arrested, both of them in the kingdom of Extor. With a little help from the Witches Academy, Gretchen must figure out what an enchanted mirror has to do with the current state of politics. Halloween Date Night Ghosts run rampant in fleshly bodies under the Halloween moon, and Gretchen only wanted a quiet night in to perform a summoning. But then she met Ed, and things went downhill from there. This ghost failed to materialize, and is late for a date night with his wife If you like fairy tale retellings with a good dose of humor, wit, and sometimes crazy witchy fun you’ll enjoy this boxed set. ‘Irresistibly like Terry Pratchett's Discworld Witch books’ - Two Books Blog
The story of the tawdry Floods and the hapless Barnetts continues! The Derry Women Series Box Set was such a hit, here's part two. Get set to binge on these three novels of family dysfunction and dark humor that will make you 'wince, gasp and fume,' according to comedian Colin Quinn. In Best Served Frozen, Static Cling and the spin-off Emergency Exit, all your favorites are here, from hardened matriarch Fionnuala Flood and her hardworking husband Paddy and their clan, ditzy Dymphna, player Lorcan, mini-thug Eoin, clever Siofra and odd toddler Seamus. From the other side of the pond, there is kind-hearted Ursula Barnett and her husband Jed, together with their daughter Gretchen, all still reeling from the lottery win. When these two families meet, sparks always fly. Who will get burned?
