The Forest of Stars

By Heather Kassner, Iz Ptica (Illustrator)

A girl seeks her vanished father at a mysterious carnival, uncovering dark secrets.

3.8/5 Goodreads · 659 ratings

288 pages

$16.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Twelve-year-old Louisa LaRoche, who floats like the wind, searches for her missing father at the enigmatic Carnival Beneath the Stars. As she navigates its magical allure, a suspicious accident draws her into a world of dark secrets. Will Louisa embrace her own magic to uncover the truth and find her father, or will the carnival's shadows consume her? In a tale of hope and courage, Louisa must decide if she can trust the carnival's wonders or if they hide something more sinister. Discover a world where magic and mystery intertwine in unexpected ways.

From the publisher

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

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