Treasure Forest (The Forest Inside, Vol 1)

Rating:
Summary: A Place to Escape - Take a Journey in the Forest
Review: A riddle, a wise-woman, mystical acorns and a hermit-all are part of the mysterious journey a grandmother entrusts to her grandchildren Ben and Sara.

Grandma Daphne has died, and her Will includes secret letters and instructions to her daughter Lily's children. Daphne's greatest wish is for the family to live in her house adjacent to the Forest for one year, during which time she hopes Ben and Sara's tasks will lead their mother and father into the forest to find "the dearest freshness deep down inside."

First in a trilogy, author Cat Bordhi has set the stage for an ongoing adventure-quest acted out by Ben and Sara. Ben is a new teenager, with Sara close on his hills. Together, their special skills and knowledge, taught them by Grandmother Daphne, work towards the ultimate understanding of self and nature.

In this first book, young Sara turns up missing after a visit to the Forest. The characters introduced to complete this storyline are each interesting.

Daggett, a hermit who lives on the other side of the pond in the Forest and communes with ravens and coyotes.

Esther, a woman of wizardly skills who continues Daphne's story for Sara.

Rupert, an old friend of Daphne's, confined to a wheelchair and the owner of Matthias, the three-legged bloodhound Ben loves.

Thea, Rupert's daughter, who, with Matthias, joins the search for Sara, and trusts the instincts of Ben.

Archie, another friend of Daphne's.

Lily, Ben and Sara's mother, who is frightened of the Forest.

Peter, the father of Ben and Sara, who learns his children know more about the universe than he does.

Mystery surrounds each character and object in the book, from how to retrieve a treasure from beneath the pond without disturbing the water to the mystical qualities of seven, specially carved acorns. One of the seven acorns is in the wrong hands. Why does Daggett live in the Forest? Why is Lily afraid of the Forest?

One of the numerous unique story elements is a tree-house knitted from rope. Ben learns this skill from Rupert, and he uses it to help his mother continue to knit a special pair of socks for the missing Sara.

Listed as Young Adult Fiction, "Treasure Forest" is an adventure suitable for adult readers, too.

CAUTION: Parents should know that dangerous situations are described in detail in "Treasure Forest," such as falling into quicksand, escaping it, but liking it enough to want to do it again; using rope to climb steep cliffs, and venturing into areas the fictional parents told their children not to go.

I recommend for parents to read the book first and decide whether their child is mature enough to not go out and attempt any of the adventures described in the book. Though the information, if properly absorbed can save a life, please make sure your child is mature enough to apply the information with common sense.

That caution aside, the book is fascinating, the characters well drawn, and the setting one of endless secrets to discover.



Rating:
Summary: Deserves to become a classic!
Review: As a retired teacher and grandmother, I love juvenile literature and this is among the best of the best.

I am so impressed with the beautiful writing. I could hardly put it down. The characters seem so real and I can really relate to the children's love of the forest.

How great that this is a trilogy.

Rating:
Summary: Lyrical, transformative, and unforgettable
Review: Books of breathtaking vision that will appeal to the young adults (and their grownups and some of their younger siblings as well) are few and far between. Thank heaven for Treasure Forest, a seminal work that deserves a place on the shelf beside T. S. Lewis, T. A. Barron, Ursula Leguin, and Phillip Pullman. Cat Bordhi's bravura first novel teeters on the edge of bliss and fear-daring us to love a shadowy character whose intentions seem more than a bit dishonorable. Yes, we are afraid and uneasy for what may happen to young Ben and his sister Sara-and at the same time, we yearn for them to be free to roam in the great forest of life, unharmed yet gleaning a full and positive understanding of what it means to live in the present moment with open and accepting hearts. Bordhi's sprawling imagination and keen attention to detail invite the reader to see and vividly experience such harrowing events as nearly drowning in quicksand, or discovering an underground lair so ingenious that it rivals the best of The Swiss Family Robinson's efforts to survive on a desert island. While you might describe the writer's style as lyrical realism shimmering with plausible touches of magic, she is also a fine nature-writer (her descriptions of ravens are particularly telling), all grounded in a profound sense of inner knowing. This quality doubtless reflects upon one of her inspirations, Eckhart Tolle, celebrated for his book, The Power of Now.

Spiritual, yes. Boring? Not for a minute. This novel brims with suspense, a complex cast of characters and highly innovative metaphors that prove to be both practical and mischievous. Wisely, Bordhi does not address all the questions implied in her fascinating tale, but permits her readers to witness and share the transformations of each character through their own eyes. I finished the book eager to know when the next piece of this trilogy in the making would be ready.

Rating:
Summary: Charming, magical, thought-provoking story for all ages
Review: Cat Bordhi's characters, both human and animal, simply come alive in this warm, wonderful book. A fascinating story, with multiple levels of meaning and depth, Treasure Forest is also just plain fun to read. Hard to pigeonhole into any one genre - it's part mystery, part fantasy, part dog story, and part philosophical fable. An excellent first novel; will be equally enjoyed by both children and adults. Readers lucky enough to discover Treasure Forest will be waiting impatiently for the second book of the promised trilogy!

Rating:
Summary: Fresh
Review: Cat doesn't take us back to our childhood with Treasure Forest, she returns our childhood to us. Reading this book gives us space to pause, to connect with that deep down inside spot where everything is fresh and still, the place where we live and breath...

Rating:
Summary: LOVELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review: I simply could NOT put this book down. I look forward to its sequels, Cat is a fantastic writer.

Rating:
Summary: children in search of answers
Review: Rebeccasreads highly recommends TREASURE FOREST as a children's tale of sorrow & success, where Ben & Sara are compelled to seek answers to their grandmother's last letters in which she asked a question.

Filled with the dangers & delights of forest life, Ben & Sara's adventures open up a new way of living life in the here & now, with some clear & informative ideas about meditation & enlightenment.

Not preachy at all. In fact, TREASURE FOREST is a story for all ages.

Rating:
Summary: The Forest Inside Speaks to Us All
Review: There is a strong spiritual connection between their recently deceased grandmother, Daphne, who taught the children to trust and love the forest, and her grandchildren, Ben and Sara. In their grief, they want to be where they felt closest to her, in their grandmother's house at the edge of the forest where they had spent many magical hours. The uncertainty and fears of their parents prevent this from happening initially, until it is revealed that a condition of Daphne's will requires them to live in the house for a year.

The children's presence in the forest seems to wake up a host of others who have lain dormant for ages, especially Daggett, a strange hermit who is soon caught in a web of adventures with both Ben and Sara. As the story unfolds, we are engaged on many levels. We come to know Ben and Sara and love them, of course. But we are also privy to the incredibly wise words of the sage Esther, the secretive life of Daggett, the long-held fears of the parents, a magical acorn flute, the magnificent heart of a three-legged bloodhound, and the golden thread that connects them all.

The joy I felt from this book - the tug that took me inside, to the "Forest Inside," made it so much more than a children's book, or a fictional tale. This book allows the forest itself to be a palpable force, speaking eloquently through Ben, Sara, and Sara's wise teacher, Esther. I didn't want the book to end, actually putting off reading the last few pages until I just HAD to read them.

It is a lucky child of any age who receives this book. It is appropriate for pre-teen and young teens because that is the age of the main characters, and sensitive adults will find treasures galore. The "Forest Inside" speaks to us all.

Rating:
Summary: A delightfully mysterious saga of puzzle solving
Review: Treasure Forest is an adventure novel intended for young adults, yet appealing to all ages. A brother and sister are left a mysterious challenge by their recently deceased grandmother - solve the riddle of a hidden treasure within a pond. Their quest will cause them to witness the mysteries of the forest, meet a paraplegic private eye with a three-legged bloodhound, and discover a secret that will change their lives forever. A delightfully mysterious saga of puzzle solving, character building, and the inward resolve to see an adventure through to its conclusion.