Read this book if you love the movies The Secret of Nimh or Ferngully!
I’m just finishing the book and the instant I began the book I fell in love! The story doesn’t waste any time jumping right into the action, and the way the author writes the scenes depicting events is 10/10 masterful, age appropriate, yet even as an adult I’m enjoying it! I felt like I was right there with Twig in the beginning experiencing everything he was.
The same goes for the traveling entertainers: Boz and the sugar gliders Ayu & Eca; I think the twins are my favorites so far the best.
The magical lore and the “bad guys” plot is captivating & heartbreaking all at the same time; it is what really cemented those nostalgic Nimh vibes.
I’ll definitely be getting this for my classroom!

The Unraveling follows a cast of animals who must uncover an ancient power and prevent history from repeating itself. Honestly I wanted to love this one (which is why I requested it), but it felt unfinished both because there's a cliffhanger but because getting dropped right into the middle of the action was super confusing. While there are some things explained as the book progresses, it didn't feel like I had all the answers.

I'm curious to see what happens in the second one but I'll be waiting to read it if it's also a cliffhanger.

I really really wanted to like this one. I come from a family of birders and was excited to have bird characters. Unfortunately, I had to DNF after the first chapter because I felt like I was starting in the middle of the book. I am sure other people who like to be thrown right into the action will love it, but unfortunately it's not for me.

DNF
I'm really sorry to be DNF'ing this, I expected this to be a manga somehow but stumbled upon a children's book.
I don't know why I didn't know it was a children's book. I have read some children's books on here and honestly I'm sure this is a good book, maybe I will delve into it later on!

I haven't read something as fun as this book in a while.

It was an adventure, a delight, characters so well thought out, you understood them, felt for them, even the antagonist.

It ticks all the boxes a middle grade adventure should tick.

The characters were well thought out, each unique and with great purpose to the story. Everyone has a backstory that is easy to understand for that age group and makes characters absorbable enough without too complex a decision making involved.

One of best parts about this adventure were the highs and lows of the story that, while keeping the tension tight, also gave the reader a chance to breathe. Not in a long time have I come across a book that keeps the highs and lows of a story soooooo well balanced.

The story is full of hope in difficult times and presents it through a budding character. A tiny chickadee who barely ran with his life from a war stormed village to find unusual shelter in the home of a master, a mystical mysterious animal finds a tutelage. As much it is the story of Twig, the chickadee, it is also the story of his mentor. And while the story, as a whole is an adventure and life of Twig who has to stand against the tyrant crow ruler, it is also a story of a group of performers who go on to play a very important role in the tussle between good and bad.

The story also has a subtle inclination of- not all heroes hold swords which I love within fantasy and adventure genre, so I naturally fell hard for this one.

The plot is ever moving taking us through the world as the journey of performers continue and the themes are both, big and small, coming in waves.

If you love animal point of views, or animal warriors, adventure themes, unlikely heroes, growing characters, or love a wide variety in your characters, read The Unraveling.

After the evil Fortress Crows attack his village, a young chickadee named Twig must escape their clutches. That is easier set than done but he finds an unexpected source of support in the form of a motley crew of companions.

Nevertheless, it is a big ask for a little bird to find a solution to ensure the survival of the Woodland against such odds.

This is an action packed story which brings alive the world in which it is set. Twig survives some serious challenges, and (my only gripe) the story ends on a cliff hanger. But it is an enjoyable read, and gets 3.5 stars.

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Full disclosure: fantasy stories aren't my favorite, and it took me a while to get into this one. But once I did, I enjoyed the story. - at least until it ended abruptly. I understood the anthropomorphizing of the characters, but not the likening it to 'Watership Down' and a slightly derivative feel at times to 'Star Wars.' I also understand the series appeal for this age of reader, but to not end the story as even a possible stand-alone is torturous and manipulative. I'd be really curious what the reading level (A./R. or Lexile) is because the vocabulary was really elevated: melee, attrition, accelerants, haughty, beleaguered, dirge, petulant, hubris, usurp, abattoir, etc. I did enjoy the bit of humor that was peppered into the story: a crow-coo clock, cricket poppers, a stuffed parrot named Admiral Feathers, and some others. However, I did feel a little like I was being indoctrinated into a "humans bad/animals good" ideology, and it wasn't until at least 2/3 into the book that any concessions were made that an individual doesn't define a species.

Thank you so much for the arc!

Wow I when I started this book I thought I was going to get a simple but fun adventure story. That was delivered but there was also much depth. The author weaved in important messages about caring for the environment and the consequences of not doing so. (Studio Ghibli much??? And I mean that in the best way, in case that isn’t clear.) I love to learn and think while reading so that was so appreciated.

All of the characters were a joy to read about and I loved the illustrations that were included. I would have been utterly obsessed with this book as a kid and hope there’s more to come!