I was interested to read this book because it is by the author of Holes which I liked very much, and I was captivated by the fast-paced narrative. The story is set in a school, which is in the middle of a forest, and is about a girl called Tamaya, who walks to and from this school with her friend Marshall. Sadly, Marshall is being bullied by Chad, one of his classmates.
One day Chad tells Marshall that he is going to beat him up on the road outside school so Marshall brings Tamaya home through the woods to avoid a beating. Tamaya finds a puddle of strange fuzzy mud in the forest and this starts the unfolding of the strangely interesting plot.
I liked the way that the characters changed during the book. At the beginning Marshall is a bit cowardly but he has to show some bravery later in the tale. Tamaya is a girl who would not break any rules at beginning, but she becomes more adventurous and even the bully Chad has changed by the end.
The author has used an interesting technique to present the story; each chapter has a snippet of an interview (which seems to have taken place after the completion of the story) which really helps you understand the plot.
This was quite a short book which you can easily read in a day. It was also different to most other books I’ve read recently, but an enjoyable read. I think it would be suitable for girls and boys from about 8 years old and if you have liked other stories by Louis Sachar I am sure you will like this one.
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Buy this book at the Guardian Bookshop.
