Who is Little Fur? Why, she's a half elf, half troll, as tall as a three-year-old human child, with slanted green eyes, wild red hair that brambles about her pointed ears, and bare, broad, four-toed feet. Little Fur loves and tends to the Old Ones, the seven ancient trees that protect her home, a small, magical wilderness nestled magically in a park in the midst of a large, bustling human city. When she learns that evil forces are out to destroy her beloved trees, the intrepid halfling must embark on an ambitious and dangerous journey into the human world and down into an ancient cut in the earth, in search of a way to save not only the Old Ones, but the Earth Spirit itself. Geared to young middle-grade readers who are, like our troll heroine, still innocent and natural champions of our earth, Little Fur is an eco-fantasy as wise and fey as it is adventurous and suspenseful. When she learns of an evil plot to destroy the world's trees, Little Fur, half-elf, half-troll girl, vows to save her own magical forest, but soon is embroiled on a quest to save the earth spirit itself. This tiny healer does not set out to be a heroine, but her steadfast determination and loyal heart sets her on that path in spite of her quiet, almost timid ways. Along with her crow and cat companions, red-headed Little Fur wends her way from comforting greenspaces to alarming city streets. Since her feet must never leave the ground (otherwise she would lose touch with the flow of earth magic), Little Furs route is meandering, long, and fraught with the danger of humans, trolls, and other nefarious creatures. In spite of it all, she finally approaches the chasm where earths Old Ones supposedly dwell. Can this tiny Halfling do what no others have been able to do and save the earth spirit? Isobelle Carmody's enchanting though moralistic eco-fantasy will delight those who love to lose themselves in tales of elves, brownies, and Hobbits. Although Little Fur is somewhat lacking in humor, the elf-troll-eye view of humans is entertaining and astute, and the adventure in is in the classic, satisfying, good versus evil vein. --Emilie Coulter Grade 3-6–Nestled deep within a secret wilderness carefully concealed from human eyes lives a small half-elf, half-troll girl. Little Fur is sworn to protect the seven ancient trees that connect directly to the earth-spirit, but learns that fire-loving humans may soon harm her precious enclave. Uncertain of what to do, Little Fur seeks advice from a wise owl, setting her on a quest to awaken the one creature that might bring humanity back to its senses. Accompanied by two cats and a wisecracking crow, the little creature faces her fears and proves that even the smallest heroine can make a difference. This benign eco-fantasy treads familiar territory with its tale of respecting the world around us. It's enjoyable, if occasionally more didactic than necessary. The simple pen-and-ink illustrations are pleasant but don't always pair up well with the action. Also, the book leaves questions regarding Little Fur's ancestry unanswered, setting the stage for future titles in the series. A story best enjoyed by children looking for a low-key fantasy series akin to Patrick Carman's The Land of Elyon books (Scholastic). –Elizabeth Bird, New York Public Library Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Half-elf and half-troll, Little Fur tends a grove of seven singing trees in the middle of a city. When she hears that a group of humans are burning trees, she goes to the wise Sett Owl for advice. The owl charges her with awakening an ancient, sleeping power that lies deep within the earth. Accompanied by Crow and two cats, Little Fur journeys through the human world to find this being, which may be able to save not only her home but also the earth spirit itself. Carmody's eco-fable is preachy at times, but it imparts important lessons about conservation and not giving up on a changing world. Little Fur's simplicity and gentleness will speak to young champions of the earth, as will her understanding of her strengths and weaknesses and the duality of good and evil in the human world. Krista Hutley Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved Isobelle Carmody is among the biggest names in Australian fantasy writing. The Gathering was a joint winner of the 1993 CBC Book of the Year Award and the 1994 Childrený Literature Peace Prize. Billy Thunder and the Night Gate (reprinted by RHCB as Night Gate in 2005) was shortlisted for the Patricia Wrightson Prize for Childrený Literature in the 2001 NSW Premierý Literary Awards. The author lives in Apollo Bay, Australia, and Prague, Czech Republic.