Book Review: Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest

I truly enjoyed this book. At a lean 120+ pages, Amos Oz crams in a fantastic tale about a village that has lost of all its animals to the Mountain Demon. The older residents of the village remember animals from the childhood, but their children have never seen a live animal. One day, two children from the village think that they see a fish. They are astonished by their finding and decide to venture into the forest in hopes of finding the other animals that were taken from them years before.

This is a simple tale but it is Oz's descriptions that make it such a treat. It is targeted to grades 4-7 and while I think these children will understand the story, there are multiple layers that they may not comprehend until they are older. Therefore, making the novel a perfect book for children and young adults to grow with. Parents will also enjoy the beautiful tale and find great meaning in a world where animals no longer roam.
I did not give the novel five stars because it was slow at times and I can imagine that children and young adults may lose patience with the long descriptions. It makes for a wonderful tone and atmosphere, but there are certainly pages that go on for a while without much action. This book is perfect for teaching children about cruelty, bullying, and the importance of the world around us. However, don't look for it to be packed with action or humor.
 
-DLP