The Life in the Wood with Joni-Pip by Carrie King

The Life in the Wood with Joni-Pip, by Carrie King


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Although this book is aimed at young teens, (Although the Author defines that as Children aged 9 - 90!)I really did love this book. It took me back to my childhood when I invariably had my nose stuck in Enid Blyton books, in which I used to spend all my pocket money on. Carries writing is much stronger than Blytons and all the characters are very endearing. My 11 year old twin boys loved the book and we all can't wait for part two in the triology. We were lucky enough to meet Carrie at her book signing.

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Synopsis curtesy of Carries website

http://lifeinthewood.com/index.htm

The Story The Life in the Wood with Joni-Pip is targeted at Children aged 11-14. (Although the Author defines that as Children aged 9 - 90!) The story opens with the Bombing of Bath in England, in April 1942. After spending a night in the cellar, Philip Garador, an American, decides to move his family to Berry Bush, near Edwinstowe in Nottinghamshire. Their country cottage, Knotty Knook sits at the foot of Windy Woods, nestled on the edge of Sherwood Forest. Joni-Philipa is the spoilt and brattish, oldest daughter of the family and objects most strongly to this upheaval of her privileged life in Bath. On their journey to Berry Bush, the family stop for a picnic by a river. The grumpy eleven-year-old stays in the car, even refusing to play Skimmers with her 16-year-old brother, Alex. While sitting alone with Ethelred-Ted, her beloved, German Teddy Bear, she receives a surprise visit from three strangers; a girl of 13, Flip, who she finds fascinatingly familiar, although they have never met before and two boys, Craig, 14 and Steve, 16. These three have strange glittery stuff in their hair. Flip urges Joni-Philipa to change and ‘be nice’ telling her that her Future depends on it! They disappear as quickly as they appear and Joni-Philipa forgets they ever met, although she keeps having momentary flashbacks of them. She has no friends in Berry Bush but Ethelred-Ted, Poppy-Plump-Pij, a scatty wood pigeon and Hetty the Wee, a wise Scottish hedgehog, become her constant companions. They receive another visit, only this time from 2007 and they are given an incredible formula. They then embark on an adventurous journey that takes them over the WOT (Wall of Time), where they try to change a Bad Past (BP) into a Better Future (BF). During their Quission (Quest + Mission), they unearth some secrets of Life, including: POOLS (personal orbits of life), Déjà vu, The Kaleidoscope of Life, Pastures (where the Past meets the Future) and the OOMU (Observatory of Memories Unknown.)