By Ash, Oak and Thorn - A Review
By Ash, Oak and Thorn Written by Melissa Harrison Illustrated by Lauren O'Hara Published by Chicken House, 2021 This is a story about three tiny, ancient beings: Moss, Burnet and Cumulus. Known as the Hidden Folk and once celebrated as guardians of the Wild World, they wake from winter hibernation in their cherished ash tree home in a world where Mortals now have authority over the creatures and places that the Hidden Folk once cared for. When a terrible storm topples the ash tree, they set off on an adventure to try and find more of their kind. It’s a journey which takes them both deep into the countryside and into the heart of a city, known as the Mortal Hive. There is great concern along the way. Both Cumulus and Burnet experience disappearing limbs in response to the changing world, a world where Mortals are no longer aware of the secret world of wild creatures and don’t speak their language, Wild Argot. It’s from this that a central message of the book springs: ...