INTO THE GLADES, by Laura Sebastian, Delacorte Press, Oct. 25, 2022, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 8-12)
Four friends set out into a magical swampland to break a curse in Laura Sebastian’s new middle-grade novel, Into the Glades.
Best friends Cordelia and Larkin have always called the Glades — a peaceful swamp full of magical creatures — home. But when Oziris, Cordelia’s father and the leader of their village, dies unexpectedly, a dark curse sweeps over the land.
The girls know that the curse must be tied to Oziris’s death, and they’re determined to break its hold on their home and bring Oziris back to life. Together, Cordelia, Larkin, and their two little brothers set off into the wild Glades in search of an elusive and enigmatic witch who is rumored to have the power to reverse death.
The Glades are no longer a familiar and friendly place, though, and danger lurks around every corner. But on their journey, the children discover that the most difficult challenge isn’t wild marsh-maids or bogilisks or dragon-gators — it’s the grief threatening to consume them. —Synopsis provided by Delacorte Press
I don’t think there can ever be too many books that deal with grief, because grief is such an individual experience, and what may resonate with one reader may not with another. The great thing about Into the Glades is that there’s something in it for readers who have yet to experience grief, too.
Into the Glades is told from the alternating points of view of Cordelia and Larkin. The girls have been friends for as long as they can remember, but the curse puts a strain on their relationship. Together, with their respective brothers, they learn that only by working together will they be able to save the Glades.
Cordelia, Larkin, Zephyr and Dash are each unique, bright individuals. Their different strengths and weaknesses play well off each other. The two girls, as the protagonists, are the better developed of the quartet, but the brothers add some humor and heart that really fills things out.
The other main character of Into the Glades is the Glades itself. Author Laura Sebastian full immerses readers in this Everglades-inspired world. It feels both familiar and magical and literally has a heart of its own.
Into the Glades is a thoughtful adventure that explores different kinds of magic and how that magic can manifest itself in the most amazing ways.
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