Blue Wolf Reviews

Tag: Legend

  • The Legend of Childer’s Forest

    The Legend of Childer’s Forest

    Crazy Cream Adventures

    Captain Francis Childer, way back in the time of 1651, well before you were born, did a very brave and sacrificial thing. He and his men were with Charles Stuart, the man who was supposed to be the King, being hunted by Oliver Cromwell, and his New Model Army, who was now the most powerful and terrifying man in Politics in Britain at that time.

     In order to   make sure Charles Stuart stayed safe, he offered to be used as a decoy, to run into Childer’s Forest so Cromwell’s soldiers would follow him, not Charles Stuart.  While he was there he became lost, lived in the forest for a long time and was eventually rescued by a huge mysterious white Stag, known later as Legend.

    He also saw a wonderful warm angelic light that chased away the evil that was surrounding him at that time. And so the legend was born and forest considered to have magical properties.

    But moving on to now and two lovely dogs, Poppy and Devon who just love to have adventures. The field near their home is being destroyed by large machinery in order to build some more houses. They see the mess that is happening and are very, very unhappy.

    They are even more unhappy when they see all the rabbits that lived in the field have been killed and their homes destroyed forever. They go to find out what they can and discover three rabbits, terrified and alone, wondering where they can go with safety to build a new home.

    Devon and Poppy decide that is something they may be able to help them with and perhaps they can settle in Childers Forest, not all that far from where they live. On the way to the Forest, on one of their favourite walks, they notice their friend Guinevere the donkey is not in her paddock, the farm dogs are not to be seen and a very large Buzzard is circling overhead. This a real worry as Buzzards like to eat rabbit.

    Buzzard turns out to be a real friend in times of need and helps the rabbits find a home, until things begin to go wrong once again and Poppy, Devon, Buzzard and the rabbits find themselves in the fight of their lives, to not only protect each other, but also Jack, Poppy and Devons small human, who is camping out in Childer’s Forest on a night when evil is on the loose.

    Heart-warming and most enjoyable, The Legend of Childer’s Forest involves a little history, a huge amount to love and bravery, as well as a very nicely couched presentation of working together, learning to accept each other, whether you are a cat, dog or buzzard and also good succeeding over evil, which makes for one very good mid-range reader story to be enjoyed.

  • The Near Witch

    The Near Witch

    Chilling and dark, this re-release of a long out of print tale from VE Schwab, The Near Witch comes to life once again. Schwab’s work is dramatic, dark and very realistic, her characters and plot are absolutely, chillingly real and amazing.

    Based around an old story told to frighten the children, Lexi begins to realise that there may be more than a simple story to this tale, as dark one night she sees the floating image of a young boy; a boy who appears to be a stranger, but how can this be, as there are no strangers in the town of Near.

    But something sinister seems to have come to town, as, when the wind comes calling, comes calling, children are climbing out of their windows to slowly disappear. As the mysterious boy has been seen in the town, he immediately falls under suspicion.

    Lexi begins to wonder if there really is a bit more to the old tale of the Near Witch and begins to try and discover just how the tale began and why. Her father, before his passing, always told her that Witches were just like people, good and bad, so she learnt to trust the witch sisters who live at the edge of town. The villagers do not!

    Just outside of the town is a dead patch of ground next to the witches’ cottage, where nothing will grow, the ashes very, very old; perhaps this has something to do with the legend of the Near Witch, but finding out what really did happen, puts Lexi and the boy in serious danger.

    The use of strong well-formed characters, and lyrical language will once again ensure The Near Witch will hold fresh appeal to a new generation of young readers.

    A bonus story, The Ash-Born Boy rounds out the book. Perhaps this is the back-story to ‘Col’ who becomes one of the central characters in The Near Witch. That is for you to decided.