Family secrets, friendship, and magic burst from the seams of this thrilling fantasy adventure that follows a ten-year-old girl as she discovers a new world behind her home in desperate need of her help and within it, her own troubling family legacy.Madelyn has always been satisfied with her life of cozy meals, great books, and adventures with her father in the woods behind their farmhouse.
But when a mysterious child appears and invites her down a forbidden trail and into a new world, Madelyn realizes that there’s far more to life than she ever allowed herself to realize.
This new world, Asterwood, is wider, wilder, and more magical than she could ever imagine. And somehow, it’s people know who she is—and desperately need her help.
Accompanied by new friends—one who can speak the language of the trees and one with a mind as sharp as her daggers—and her calico cat, Dots, Madelyn embarks on an epic quest across a strange and sprawling forest world whose secrets just might help her save her own.
On sale: December 30, 2025
Age: 8-12 years
Grade: Grades 3-7
Page count: 272 Pages
ISBN: 9780593814840
Reading level: Lexile: 760L | Fountas/Pinnell: W
Jacquelyn Stolos grew up in Derry, New Hampshire. She loves tromping through the forest and reading good books.
Asterwood is her first novel for children. She holds an MFA in fiction from NYU, where she was a Writers in the Public School Fellow. Her short fiction has appeared in
Joyland and
No Tokens. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter.
"
A dark and creative fantasy that explores themes of love, betrayal, and the environment." —
Kirkus Reviews
"
A meandering narrative focused on family, home, and natural harmony proves heartening." —
Publishers Weekly
"Underneath its ethereal cover, Stolos’ debut children’s novel is
unapologetic in its darkness and imaginative in its lighter moments." —
Booklist
