Under Wildwood facts for kids
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| Author | Colin Meloy |
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| Illustrator | Carson Ellis |
| Cover artist | Carson Ellis |
| Country | US |
| Language | English |
| Series | The Wildwood Chronicles |
| Genre | Children's novel |
| Publisher | Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins) |
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Publication date
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September 25, 2012 |
| Media type | Print (hardback, acid-free paper) |
| Pages | 576 (hardback 1st edition) |
| ISBN | 978-0-06-202471-8 |
| Preceded by | Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book One |
| Followed by | Wildwood Imperium: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book Three |
Under Wildwood: The Wildwood Chronicles, Book Two is an exciting adventure story for kids, written in 2012. It's a fantasy novel by The Decemberists' singer-songwriter Colin Meloy. His wife, Carson Ellis, drew all the cool pictures in the book. This 576-page book is the second in The Wildwood Chronicles series. It continues the amazing journey of Prue McKeel. Her adventures take place in the "Impassable Wilderness," which is a magical version of Portland, Oregon's Forest Park. The beautiful nature and unique feel of Portland are very important to the story. Carson Ellis created 80 illustrations for the novel.
Story Overview
After saving her brother from the Dowager Governess in the first book, Prue McKeel goes back to her normal life. She attends school and often daydreams. But she finds her mind keeps going back to Wildwood. She gets more and more bored with her schoolwork.
Meanwhile, strange things are happening in the Impassable Wilderness. A long, cold winter and disagreements among its people have made Wildwood's residents worried. Mysterious figures are hiding in the forest, and no one knows what they want. Also, a powerful, mean businessman plans to take Wildwood's natural treasures. Curtis and Brendan the Bandit King learn about a secret plan to harm Prue McKeel. They rush to Portland just in time to save Prue. She was almost hurt by a shapeshifting fox named Darla, who was pretending to be Prue's teacher. Curtis and Brendan bring Prue back to the Bandit's camp. This camp is hidden deep inside the Wildwood forests, keeping her safe.
After the head Mystic, Iphigenia, is attacked by Darla and can no longer lead, Prue travels to the Great Tree. There, she learns she must find "the Makers" and "bring back the true heir, the twice-died boy." She quickly realizes this means Alexei, the Dowager Governess' son. Prue and Curtis are chased by Darla. They are shocked to find the Bandit Camp destroyed when they return, and all the Bandits are missing. Prue, Curtis, and a rat named Septimus eventually find their way to a world under the Wood. This place is full of moles. They help the moles overthrow a leader who took power unfairly. They also learn that one of the two Makers built the moles' amazing underground city. He built it after the Governess banished him and caused him to lose his hands. After the friends return above ground, they find him at a traveling carnival. To their surprise, he is a bear named Esben. Even with two golden hooks instead of front paws, he performs amazing tricks in a circus tent. Esben saves Prue by defeating the kitsune Darla when she tries to harm Prue again.
In a separate part of the story, Curtis's two sisters, Elsie and Rachel, are left at an orphanage in Portland. Their parents are traveling to Istanbul to look for their missing son. The orphanage is actually a front for a machine shop. This shop is run by Joffrey Unthank, a businessman who wants to get into the Impassable Wilderness. He plans to take all its resources. A mysterious man named Roger Swindon visits Unthank. He promises Unthank access to the Wildwood if he can make a very complex machine part called a Mobius Cog. This part was originally made by the Makers. Unthank sends Elsie, Rachel, and another girl named Martha into the Wildwood. There, they find many orphans who were sent away from the machine shop. They live in a cabin with an elderly blind man named Carol. Carol is the second Maker. He and Esben originally built the mechanical body that the Governess used to bring Alexei back to life. The Governess had Carol's eyes harmed before sending him to the Periphery Bind. This is a part of the woods where people trying to enter Wildwood get lost forever. Time does not pass there, so the children have not grown older. Elsie and Rachel soon discover they can pass through the Bind. They take Carol and all the orphans back to Portland. There, they lead a protest against Unthank. Elsie and Rachel escape, but Carol and Martha are captured by Unthank. Another businessman named Bradley Wigman and his hired helpers also capture them.
Next Book
The last book in the Wildwood series is called Wildwood Imperium. It was released on February 4, 2014.
