The Drowned Forest

Gr 7–10—Fifteen-year-old Jane struggles every day to reconcile the sudden death of her best friend Holly, who drowned in the river. At a baptism one day, Jane and Tyler, Holly's boyfriend, witness something extraordinary: an enormous catfish surfaces from the river depths and coughs up Holly's ring, which she was wearing on the day she died. One word is scratched on the ring's silver surface: HELP. Jane is convinced that Holly's soul is trapped in the river and that they must help set her free. While everyone else thinks they are going crazy, the two teens set out to help release their friend and set things right. Set in a small southern town, The Drowned Forest is a unique story with a creepy, dark feel, reminiscent of Lisa McMann's Cryer's Cross (Simon Pulse, 2011) and A. J. Whitten's The Well (Houghton Harcourt, 2009). Unfortunately, it is slow paced, providing little action to move the plot along. The abundance of biblical verse is appropriate for Jane's character, but it bogs down the story and may alienate some readers. The narrative style is unusual, with Jane telling the story as though she is speaking to her deceased friend Holly. While unique, it is sometimes awkward and difficult to follow. The creepy small-town set up is well-done, but the lack of action, abundant scripture, and cumbersome narration will limit its appeal.—Leigh Collazo, Ed Willkie Middle School, Fort Worth, TX