Gregory Maguire struck gold with his 1995 book "Wicked," a prequel to "The Wizard of Oz" told from the point of view of the Wicked Witch of the West. A bestseller, it became a Broadway musical, which won three Tony Awards.
His charming new novel for middle-grade readers, "Cress Watercress," has vivid animal characters and an engaging story. Cress, a young rabbit, narrates the story of a family's move from pleasant digs to a shabby place after the father rabbit goes missing. Cress never gives up looking for her dad, even as she helps her mom tend her adorable baby brother Kip, slowly makes new friends and explores her new neighborhood. The new neighborhood is full of characters who look nothing like Cress and might be dangerous — Mr. Owl, for instance, or Lady Cabbage, the nearly sociopathic skunk.
There are plenty of harrowing adventures here, but as Cress' world expands and she gets to know her neighbors, she figures out that life is not always as scary as it seems and the most unlikely creatures might become a friend.
There's plenty to chew on here, with Cress' story never preachy but sure to resonate in all kinds of ways with young readers. David Litchfield's illustrations — many full-page — glow with the colors of the forest and the faces of its critters.
Cress Watercress
By: Gregory Maguire, illustrated by David Litchfield.
Publisher: Candlewick, 216 pages, $19.99, ages 8-12.
Virtual event: In conversation with novelist Ann Patchett, hosted by Rain Taxi. 3 p.m. March 29, register at https://www.crowdcast.io/e/maguire-litchfield/register
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