Under Wildwood is the second book in the New York Times bestselling adventure series the Wildwood Chronicles from Colin Meloy, lead singer of the Decemberists, and Carson Ellis, the acclaimed illustrator of The Mysterious Benedict Society. Ever since Prue McKeel returned home from the Impassable Wilderness after rescuing her brother from the malevolent Dowager Governess, life has been pretty dull. School holds no interest for her, and her new science teacher keeps getting on her case about her dismal test scores and daydreaming in class. Her mind is constantly returning to the verdant groves and sky-tall trees of Wildwood, where her friend Curtis still remains as a bandit-in-training. But all is not well in that world. Dark assassins with mysterious motives conspire to settle the scores of an unknown client. A titan of industry employs inmates from his orphanage to work his machine shop, all the while obsessing over the exploitation of the Impassable Wilderness. And, in what will be their greatest challenge yet, Prue and Curtis are thrown together again to save themselves and the lives of their friends, and to bring unity to a divided country. But in order to do that, they must go under Wildwood. In Under Wildwood , Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis reveal new dimensions of the epic fantasy-adventure series begun with the critically acclaimed, bestselling Wildwood. **

From School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-After defeating the Dowager Governess in Wildwood (2011), Prue McKeel is happy to be at home with her family and Curtis is content with his life as a bandit. All that changes when the two find out that they are being hunted by wolf assassins. The revolution they helped start in South Wood is close to collapse and someone has placed a bounty on the heads of Prue and her friends. After the death of the Elder Mystic, Prue learns that she has a powerful destiny and that she must somehow reanimate the mechanical prince before the other side does or it could mean the end of Wildwood. On top of all this, Curtis's sisters, who he left behind to join the bandits, are trapped working in a machine parts factory. The sisters could hold the key to Prue's success, but the two sides are not destined to meet in this book. At times the story is heartbreaking, but the characters are resilient and strong. The ending is not a happy one, but it holds the promise of hope for the future. Colin Meloy narrates his own story (2012, both Balzer + Bray), eloquently capturing the accents and personalities of his characters. Fans of the first book as well as those who enjoyed Trenton Lee Stewart's "The Mysterious Benedict Society" series will be drawn to the vocabulary, moral dilemmas, and clever humor here.-Sarah Flood, Breckinridge County Public Library, Hardinsburg, KYα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Review

Praise for Under Wildwood: “Droll and ornate, elegiac and romantic―the sequel to Wildwood (2011) brings readers deeper into and under the pine-scented, magical world tantalizingly close to Portland, Ore...The incomparable Ellis more than rises to the challenge―her sly, wistful, abundant illustrations provide an emotional through line.” (Kirkus Reviews)