Printz Honor-winning author K.L. Going weaves a magical tale about a girl grieving her mother, a town with a curse, and the gift of a mysterious apple seed. Eleven-year-old Evie reluctantly moves with her father because of the apple orchard, and to start a new life after her mother's death. Father doesn't care that the trees haven't borne fruit in decades, and he won't listen to rumors that the town is cursed. Soon Evie meets a boy who claims to be dead. And a few days later, she is given a gift of an apple seed and a message, "Give it to Eve, when she may come." Once planted, only Eve and the dead boy can see the tree that grows.
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Synopsis
Printz Honor-winning author K.L. Going weaves a magical tale about a girl grieving her mother, a town with a curse, and the gift of a mysterious apple seed. Eleven-year-old Evie reluctantly moves with her father because of the apple orchard, and to start a new life after her mother's death. Father doesn't care that the trees haven't borne fruit in decades, and he won't listen to rumors that the town is cursed. Soon Evie meets a boy who claims to be dead. And a few days later, she is given a gift of an apple seed and a message, "Give it to Eve, when she may come." Once planted, only Eve and the dead boy can see the tree that grows.
Reviews
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The prelude begins, "Once there was a beautiful garden . . ." Themes of planting seeds, beginnings and endings, and trees, especially trees, set the framework for the story. Evie, age 10, grieves the death of her mother as she and her father move from Michigan to mysterious Beaumont, New York. The town's past is shrouded in grim stories of disappearances, dying orchards, and the legacy of a family tragedy. Evie discovers magic and mystery, as well as the promise of hope and friendship, as twists on the biblical garden demonstrate the strength of life. Allyson Ryan's reading is generally strong and sure, but some characters' voices are made distracting by forced childishness and an overly nasal twang. The lack of announcements at the end of each CD can present a difficulty for young listeners. L.H. (c) AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine
