The Secrets of Underhill (English, Kali Wallace)

Product description Review “This socially conscious fantasy should appeal to fans of Kelly Barnhill’s The Girl Who Drank the Moon and Christina Soontornvat’s A Wish in the Dark.”—Alexandra Quay, School Library Journal “A solid fantasy for nature lovers seeking gentle tales.”—Kirkus Reviews“The Secrets of Underhill is a gorgeously rendered story of strange magic, environmentalism, and what it means to care for the ones we love and the world we live in. This is the exact kind of book that would have hooked me as a young, reluctant reader. I adored every page.”—Rebecca Mix, New York Times best-selling author of the Mossheart’s Promise duology“A transportive ecological fantasy as lush in its message as it is in its prose.”—Esme Symes-Smith, USA Today best-selling author of the Sir Callie series“A wonderful, heartfelt adventure, The Secrets of Underhill celebrates friendship, curiosity, and finding magic in the world around you.”—Marieke Nijkamp, New York Times best-selling author “Readers will immediately want to take root in this wonderfully crafted environmental adventure filled with whimsy, heart, and hope.”—Justine Pucella Winans, award-winning author of the Stonewall Honor Book The Otherwoods“A journey to the heart of a spellbinding new world. The Secrets of Underhill is a dazzling, deeply rooted story about how vital it is to feed curiosity, tend to our communities, and nourish a lifelong love and respect for all living things.”—Nina Varela, author of Juniper Harvey and the Vanishing Kingdom“Enthralling. Kali Wallace has created a lush world full of natural magic and wonder, and I loved getting to join Nick, Oliver, and Lizard as they fight to protect that world.”—Lin Thompson, author of The House That Whispers About the Author Kali Wallace is the author of books for children and adults, including Hunters of the Lost City, City of Islands, Shallow Graves, and Salvation Day. She lives in Portland, Oregon. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. Chapter OneUnusual Plums There was something wrong with the plums of Springhaven. It was a warm summer day in the rolling hills around the Middle River. The sun had been shining when Nick and Theo had first arrived in town, but soft gray clouds had crept across the sky after noon. Now a gentle rain was falling, pattering on the plum trees with a musical sound. It was just enough to dampen the dusty roads and fill the orchards with a clinging mist. “Look at this,” said the mayor of Springhaven. She was a tall woman who spoke with a strident voice, like she was trying to be heard across a crowded room. She stood underneath an umbrella held by her assistant, who was left out in the rain to get wetter and wetter. “Look at this. It’s not supposed to be like this.” In her hand, the mayor held a single plum. At least, Nick thought it was a plum. It had the expected reddish-purple skin and it was about the right size, but it looked more like the closed bud of a flower than a stone fruit. “Oh, that is curious,” Theo said. She leaned closer for a better look. “May I?” “Take it,” said the mayor. She dropped the plum into Theo’s hand. “Take all of them. They’re useless now. The entire crop is ruined. Everybody is talking about how our fruit is strange and unnatural now. And it’s all because of that.” The mayor flung her hand out to point across the orchard. Standing above the plum trees on a small hill wrapped in fog was the silhouette of Springhaven’s ironwood grove. It was a small grove, from what Nick could see, with maybe two dozen trees and none of them very large. But there was no mistaking it. No other trees had that strange, twisted shape, as though they had been buffeted by hurricane winds from every direction since they were saplings. “How old is the grove?” Nick asked. The mayor glared at her. Nick realized she had interrupted the woman midsentence. She hadn’t been paying attention, because the mayor wasn’t saying anything important. “This is serious business,” the mayor said, her voice sharp with disapproval. “It is not a matter for children.” “I apologize for not making an introduction,” Theo said. “This is my daughter and apprentice, Nick. She is a very skilled arborist herself.” Nick puffed up at her mother’s praise and the mayor’s disbelieving expression. “She has been helping me investigate this ironwood blight. And she asks a good question. How long has the grove been here?” Theo asked. “Ten years,” said the mayor. “We have always treated it with the very best care. It is extremely valuable to Springhaven.” Theo’s eyes twitched, but it was so slight Nick didn’t think the mayor would notice. Theo turned the odd plum over in her hands, poking gently at its purplish skin. “Tell me more about these plums. Are they inedible?” The mayor made a disgusted look. “Of course! Who would eat that? I didn’t hire you to ask ridiculous questions. I thought you were an arborist, Master Sixsmith, not a piemaker.” Her assistant cleared their throat delicately. “