Books

Dreamwood by Heather Mackey

DREAMWOOD is my first book, out now from Putnam (Penguin). Lucy Darrington has no choice but to run away from boarding school. Her father, an expert on the supernatural, has been away for too long while doing research in Saarthe, a remote territory in the Pacific Northwest populated by towering redwoods, timber barons, and the Lupine people. But upon arriving, she learns her father is missing: Rumor has it he’s gone in search of dreamwood, a rare tree with magical properties that just might hold the cure for the blight that’s ravaging the forests of Saarthe. Determined to find her father (and possibly save Saarthe), Lucy and her vexingly stubborn friend Pete follow William Darrington’s trail to the deadly woods on Devil’s Thumb. As they encounter Lupine princesses, giant sea serpents, and all manner of terrifying creatures, Lucy hasn’t reckoned that the dreamwood itself might be the greatest threat of all.

INDIEBOUND   AMAZON   BARNES & NOBLE

Here are some lovely things reviewers have said:

“A stunning debut with equal parts originality and heart.” –Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“Vivid descriptions … capture the imagination at every turn. Dialogue and perilous situations nudge the story along at a steady clip, with the second half a breathless page turner.” –School Library Journal

“As the story races from one fantastic or frightening adventure to the next, it skillfully combines reality with fantasy. … pure fun.” –VOYA

“Mackey’s descriptions of the creatures and hazards of the dreamwood are gorgeous and lush, a fantastic setting for a fantastic tale.” –Booklist

And thanks to Holly Goldberg Sloan (author of must-read COUNTING BY 7S) for this amazing blurb: “Wildly inventive. Like this novel, Lucy is brave, smart, and destined for greatness.”