Jonathan Auxier (Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes) creates a twisted tale both creepy and suspenseful, in the tradition of Washington Irving.
Fourteen-year-old Molly and 10-year-old Kip McConnachie, two Irish orphans, make their way through the English countryside in search of the Windsor estate, where Molly has secured a place for them as servants. They find the rundown mansion, where a tree has "insinuated itself into the very architecture." Molly cares for the lady of the house and her two spoiled children, while her brother creates a glorious garden from the remains of what felt like "the memory of one." The house and its family are haunted by this mysterious tree with a mind of its own, and the Night Gardener who tends it. The tree casts a spell on those around it, granting them a wish of their choice. However, nothing comes without a price.
Auxier builds suspense through twists and turns, with just the right amount of watering, like the magical tree--just enough so the story thrives but not so much that it drowns in a pool that rots the roots. The eerie setting, the pacing of the plot and the cast of characters--each of whom, in his or her own way, evolves as a storyteller--makes this an ideal family read-aloud and a vacation pleasure. This will appeal to fans of Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz, Jennifer Nielsen's Ascendance trilogy, and The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. --Susannah Richards, associate professor, Eastern Connecticut State University