Review: Tale of the Flying Forest
Tale of the Flying Forest
by R.M. Romero, illustrated by E.K. Belsher
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2024
Category: Middle Grade
Reviewer: Rebecca Klempner
Buy at Bookshop.org
Anne Applebaum lives in Silverthorne with her parents. One night, Mrs. Applebaum tells Anne that while pregnant, she dreamed that she would have not one child—Anne—but two—Anne and a son, Rainer. Anne believes that this missing twin is the reason she's always felt slightly empty.
When 11-year-old Anne’s mother dies, her inattentive father leaves Anne to mourn on her own. Her greatest consolation is the book her mother gave her, The World to Come. The book follows the adventures of the seven Jewish prophetesses as well as seven witches who live in the magical realm of Bei Ilai, where they fight the evil Lilith the Nightshade Queen.
After baking challah one lonely day, Anne shares some with a crow. In thanks, the crow tells her that her brother lives, but that he is currently in three pieces, all of them in the land of shadows to the east. Packing some food, clothes, and The World to Come, Anne traverses a portal to Bei Ilai and sets out to find Rainer's three parts. After many adventures, she finds his third part, and discovers many more children who need rescuing.
Belsher’s detailed black and white drawings capture the fantastical tone of the book. A fox cloud chases rabbit clouds across the sky, and there's a great feeling of motion. There's a fight scene in which Anne and a mirror version of herself combat cat-serpents. Illustrations such as these reinforce the feeling of wonder in Romero's story.
The playful storytelling style is similar to that of traditional fairy tales, but few novels written for the mainstream audience are as steeped in traditional Jewish texts and folklore as Tale of the Flying Forest. It contains many biblical references (to Sarah and her bread which never went stale, for example), Hebrew words (Bei Ilai—a forest in the story—literally means “In me, leaves,” and we repeatedly hear the Biblical expression “Chazak ve’ematz,” meaning “be strong and courageous”) and religious touchstones (baking challah before Shabbat’s arrival, synagogue attendance on Shabbat, calling out Shema when in danger).
There's humor in some of these allusions. For example, a villainous classmate early in the book bears the last name "Dahl." This likely refers to the author Roald Dahl and his well-known antisemitism. In another example, words from Mishlei/Proverbs are repurposed to create a magic spell.
Non-Jewish readers will not recognize most of these allusions; indeed, most JEWISH children ages 8-14 (ideal middle grade readers) will not recognize many of the references. However, these Jewish details provide excellent world-building, and fairytale lovers will enjoy the story's flavor and plot. It’s refreshing to read a fantasy novel with such Jewish underpinnings.
Anne Applebaum lives in Silverthorne with her parents. One night, Mrs. Applebaum tells Anne that while pregnant, she dreamed that she would have not one child—Anne—but two—Anne and a son, Rainer. Anne believes that this missing twin is the reason she's always felt slightly empty.
When 11-year-old Anne’s mother dies, her inattentive father leaves Anne to mourn on her own. Her greatest consolation is the book her mother gave her, The World to Come. The book follows the adventures of the seven Jewish prophetesses as well as seven witches who live in the magical realm of Bei Ilai, where they fight the evil Lilith the Nightshade Queen.
After baking challah one lonely day, Anne shares some with a crow. In thanks, the crow tells her that her brother lives, but that he is currently in three pieces, all of them in the land of shadows to the east. Packing some food, clothes, and The World to Come, Anne traverses a portal to Bei Ilai and sets out to find Rainer's three parts. After many adventures, she finds his third part, and discovers many more children who need rescuing.
Belsher’s detailed black and white drawings capture the fantastical tone of the book. A fox cloud chases rabbit clouds across the sky, and there's a great feeling of motion. There's a fight scene in which Anne and a mirror version of herself combat cat-serpents. Illustrations such as these reinforce the feeling of wonder in Romero's story.
The playful storytelling style is similar to that of traditional fairy tales, but few novels written for the mainstream audience are as steeped in traditional Jewish texts and folklore as Tale of the Flying Forest. It contains many biblical references (to Sarah and her bread which never went stale, for example), Hebrew words (Bei Ilai—a forest in the story—literally means “In me, leaves,” and we repeatedly hear the Biblical expression “Chazak ve’ematz,” meaning “be strong and courageous”) and religious touchstones (baking challah before Shabbat’s arrival, synagogue attendance on Shabbat, calling out Shema when in danger).
There's humor in some of these allusions. For example, a villainous classmate early in the book bears the last name "Dahl." This likely refers to the author Roald Dahl and his well-known antisemitism. In another example, words from Mishlei/Proverbs are repurposed to create a magic spell.
Non-Jewish readers will not recognize most of these allusions; indeed, most JEWISH children ages 8-14 (ideal middle grade readers) will not recognize many of the references. However, these Jewish details provide excellent world-building, and fairytale lovers will enjoy the story's flavor and plot. It’s refreshing to read a fantasy novel with such Jewish underpinnings.
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