Children of the Forest

By Matt Myers

Two siblings embark on a backyard adventure, facing imagined wild dangers.

3.9/5 Goodreads · 303 ratings

40 pages

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

In their backyard wilderness, two siblings embark on a daring adventure. Armed with a bow and quiver, they navigate past a snoozing father to gather supplies. Their journey is fraught with imagined perils—a house cat becomes a mountain lion, and their dog a fearsome beast. As night falls, they construct a camp to fend off predators. Will their imagination sustain them in this untamed land? Discover the whimsical blend of reality and fantasy in a tale that celebrates the boundless creativity of childhood play.

From the publisher

Two siblings set off for adventure in the untamed wilds… of their own backyard. Pairing a serious text with charming illustrations that show the mundane truth of the kids’ adventurous roaming, Children of the Forest is an ode to imaginative play and the wild fun you can have while staying close to home. We are wild.We are children of the forest.We were raised by wolves. Grabbing a bow and quiver, a kid sets off, toddler sister in tow, to live off the land– in the expanses of their own backyard. First, they sneak past their snoozing father to pilfer supplies from the refrigerator, but only what they need. After that, they’re utterly on their own. Out in these uncharted spaces they encounter many dangers, from a ferocious mountain lion (a house cat) to a hulking canine beast (their dog). When the sun dips low, they make a camp complete with defenses to ward off predators. Matt Myers’s cool self-serious text is juxtaposed with whimsical art depicting the playful antics of backyard life, making for a tale full of delight for imaginative children.

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