An Illustrated Novel by Edwin Fontánez
WINNER! 2015 International Latino Book Awards Finalist
Best Young Adult Fiction—English
“FIVE STARS! TENDER, YET DELIVERED WITH A PUNCH IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES… SOPHISTICATED SYMBOLISM AND WELL-HONED LANGUAGE TYPICAL OF FINE LITERATURE.”
—ForeWord Clarion Review
12-year-old Mateo returns to his grandparents’ island to deal with a family tragedy. From the moment he arrives, a series of terrifying events turn his world upside down. A stray cat with a mohawk, a ruthless town bully, and a lost ghost mysteriously come together and change his life forever.
The Illuminated Forest is an imaginative study in parallels: the fine lines that separate the real and the fantastic, the tangible and the mystical, the plausible and the magical. The novel’s heart is contained within the atmospheric, lush descriptions of the geography of an island that breathes and feels along with the characters. The Illuminated Forest is at times a very human portrait populated by flawed characters trying to find balance and renewal, at other times it is a magical escape into another realm when faith has failed them. The Illuminated Forest is a heartfelt story told through magical realism, a literary work that seeks to delve deeply into its characters’ humanity without sentimentality or trite happy endings.
Paperback, 336 pgs. with 79 illustrations. Young Adult Fiction.
ALSO AVAILABLE IN SPANISH! El bosque iluminado
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“COMPELLING…Endearing and impressive…this heartfelt tale of a young boy’s pain and reluctance to make connections could form an instructive, charming story for younger readers.”
—Kirkus Reviews