The Book of Murmurs

Gr 8 Up–After the slaying of her parents and the theft of a cherished story book, a young hero called Little Moon sets out to put things right and rescue the family ­heirloom. Along the way, she meets a catwitch, a goblin, some giants, and countless other fantastical characters. As she ­navigates a sort of mycological wonderland, she learns that the terrible Shenk threatens the world by rendering its ­inhabitants ­nameless and comes to understand her role in the ­preservation of this magical world and its creatures. The stunning illustrations are inspired by ­Scotland’s natural beauty and are reminiscent of the artwork of Tove Jansson and Tomm Moore. Storybook chapters are spread throughout in black and white to contrast with the vibrant color used elsewhere, helping to explain what has ­happened in this land. There is some real darkness in this narrative, and the entire book is a tightwire act, ­balancing between the loving warmth and the stark brutality of the natural world. It’s easy to get swept away and fall under the spell of the story, which swirls in ­tandem with the images.