Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
Poppy and Rye
Illustrator: Brian Floca
Fiction Series
For ages 8 to 12
HarperCollins, 1999 ISBN: 978-0380797172
With her love, Ragweed, now gone, a grieving Poppy decides that she must take the news of his death to Ragweed's parents. With Ereth, her prickly, difficult and constantly swearing porcupine friend in tow, Poppy sets off to find The Brook. It is not an easy place to find but finally, just when she is about to give up, she finds Ragweed's family. It is of course a very sad time but for Poppy it is also a very exciting time for she has met someone, Rye, who makes her heart flutter and whom she cannot seem to get out of her mind.
In his turn Rye, who just happens to be Ragweed's younger brother, thinks Poppy is the most delightful mouse he has ever met. Unfortunately a great deal stands in path of this love struck couple. A team of beavers has decided to dam The Brook and now everything is simply quite dreadful. Rye's family is forced to move as the waters rise and everyone begins to wonder what the pushy and aggressive beavers are going to do next. When Rye is kidnapped Poppy is determined not to abandon the mouse she barely knows but whom has quite stolen her heart.
Avi has crafted a truly masterful tale in this third book in the Dimwood forest series. It is both a love story and an adventure tale complete with heroes, villains, cowards, and a curmudgeonly porcupine who tries very hard not to love anyone. Powerful and vibrant characters struggle with the many complications in life that are all too familiar to us: love, loss, grief, and fear.
Fans of "Ragweed" and "Poppy" will find this new tale deeply satisfying.
