The Earth Keeper’s Gift by Tara Langella and Maria Langella Sorgie is a easy reader for 2nd-4th graders but would be a nice, quick read for just about anyone.
Nimue has a special gift; she can communicate with animals and the natural world around her. She feels most at home in the wild, especially with her horse, Cloud. As with most people who are different, Nimue is treated unkindly by her peers, even her parents scold her for “living in a fantasy world.”
When Nimue has an accident in the woods, she wakes up to find that the natural world she so loves is in danger and the only way to save it is to unlock The Earth Keeper’s gift. But unlocking the truth will require Nimue to find her own truth along the way. Can she do it? Or will fear cripple Nimue?
The Earth Keeper’s Gift is unlike any book I’ve ever read before. From the moment you start the first page, you are enmeshed in the story. Don’t expect to be eased in, be ready to jump in right from the get-go.
Above all, I think this book is about the journey toward finding the truth about oneself. With each spirit creature Nimue visits, she learns more about the world around her but more importantly more about herself. This book is setting Nimue up for more adventures. It almost feels like this book is setting the stage for more.
One of the interesting things about this book is how the authors allow us to glimpse Nimue’s “real world” life, without leaving the magic of the forest. We are told that she is crippled, made fun of, and is a strange and lonely child. The reader knows Nimue has a life outside of the forest, but for the purpose of the story, it is on the periphery.
I am intrigued to see where this one is going. A very high 4.5-5 stars from me.
That’s all for now!
-M-