About the Book:

Title: The Forest of Stars

Author: Heather Kassner

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Release Date: August 4, 2020

Pages: 288

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy

Synopsis:

In this mysterious and mesmerizing fantasy novel, perfect for fans of Splendor and Glooms and Circus Mirandus, a windswept girl who can float among the stars searches for her long-lost father at a shadow-filled carnival.

“Kassner’s writing dazzles . . . a tale of hope, courage, and friendship.” —Newbery Honor winner Ingrid Law

Left all alone after her mother passes away, twelve-year-old Louisa LaRoche watches the sky for her father. Long ago, a powerful gust of wind swept through town, stealing him away on the wings of his untamed magic—the same magic that stirs within Louisa. As if she is made of hollow bones and too much air, her feet never quite touch the ground.

But for all her sky gazing, Louisa finds her fortune on the leaf-strewn street when she spots a gleaming black-and-gold invitation—a ticket to the Carnival Beneath the Stars. If her father fits in nowhere else, maybe she’ll find him there, dazzling crowds alongside the other strange and wonderful feats. Only, soon after she arrives, a tightrope act ends disastrously—and suspiciously. As fate tugs Louisa closer to the stars, she must decide if she’s willing to slip into the injured performer’s role, despite the darkness plucking at the carnival’s magical threads.

In The Forest of Stars, Heather Kassner weaves a spectacle of wondrous magic, unexpected friendship, and dark secrets.

Featuring illustrations by Iz Ptica.

* “Irresistible.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“Like the carnival at its heart, this story is richly magical and delightfully eerie.” —Cassie Beasley, New York Times bestselling author of Circus Mirandus 

Review:

* I won an arc in a giveaway on Instagram*

An enchanting and magical tale that is sure to delight readers of all ages! I immediately fell in love with Louisa and the rest of the cast of characters in this middle grade fantasy. Louisa sets out on a quest to find her father after her mother passes away. A long time ago, her father was taken from her when a gust of wind snatched him and his magic away. Louisa herself has this same sort of magic, as her feet don’t quite touch the ground. The quest begins when Louisa finds an invitation to a Carnival Beneath the Stars. She heads to the Carnival hoping to find her father, or any kind of lead as to where he could be. She winds up finding friends there, and people who accept her for the way she is. Along with her newfound friends, Louisa discovers that things aren’t all as they seem at the Carnival and with their help starts uncovering a dastardly plot. Along the way, she discovers that when you feel lost, sometimes you find where you belong in the most unexpected ways.

This was my first book I read by Kassner and I was delighted! A charming, fast paced adventure you won’t want to miss.

About the Author:

Heather Kassner loves thunderstorms, hummingbirds, and books. She lives with her husband in Arizona, waiting (and waiting and waiting) for the rain, photographing hummingbirds, and reading and writing strange little stories.