At school, Julie is a nobody. She wants to be part of the “cool” kids, but she can’t get accepted. However, if she could bring only one of the magical items that the Wild seems intent on manufacturing every so often, she knows she would immediately become the coolest kid in school. But her mom keeps all the magic rings, cloaks, and other attire safely locked up.
Thinking back over the magical items in all those stories, my mind kept wandering, imagining the things I could do with them. My ten-year-old did the same. That’s when I realized that maybe we never do really grow up from all these old stories.
Despite the best that Julie and her mom are able to do, the Wild gets loose. Before they know it, the enchanted woods takes over their town and begins recapturing story characters. Not only that, but the spell also steals the lives of normal people by zapping them into familiar stories as well.
I loved how Durst hinted at stories before revealing them. The comfortable familiarity led my son and I to guess which fairy tale Julie was plunging through at any given time. I have to admit, he nailed the Three Blind Mice before I did. The trip was made even more fun because we knew those stories so well that creating Julie’s adventures in our minds was a snap.
Into the Wild is a terrific read. The fact that it lends itself to so many other stories children know is a plus. Kids who have wanted something new, yet something playful, will enjoy this one a lot. I’ve already ordered the sequel, and I’m looking forward to another romp through the enchanted woods.
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