Hannah is a creature of the woods. When she finally leaves the magician who has held her captive for so long, she takes a journey that will lead her into the heart of the forest and into her own soul. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.

This original and atmospheric fantasy by the author of the Darkangel and Firebringer trilogies introduces Hannah, who lives by the fearsome Tanglewood with a few talkative companion animals. Hannah doesn't age, and she has no memory of anything but this life of isolation. Once a month she plucks the flowers that grow from her head "Each yank made her whole scalp ache" and brews them into a tea for the wizard who lives deep in the woods. Hannah is an unusually compelling character: lost but self-assured, brave but deeply na?ve. When she falls in love with one of the many knights who search for the treasure of the title, she begins to question the wizard's motives, eventually escaping his manipulative power and undertaking a quest to heal the knight, whom the wizard has transformed into a fox. The book loses momentum somewhat as Hannah begins her travels, largely because readers will be quicker than Hannah at piecing together the story elements. As the flowers in her hair grow unplucked, spring descends upon the land (which has been lost in an epic winter) yet she never guesses that, among other identities, she is the legendary Spring Maid of whom townspeople talk, the treasure all those knights were seeking. But this concern will trouble few readers: the prose is heady, the setting textured and the premise certain to captivate fans of the genre. Ages 12-up. (May) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information

Gr 8-10-Hannah lives in the heart of a forest, the Tanglewood, with a magpie, a badger, and three fox pups as her only companions. The nearby villagers seek her help as a healer but also fear her. The young woman's only other human contact is with a wizard for whom she must regularly brew a drink made from the flowers that sprout from her hair. He guards a priceless treasure and this drink gives him the strength and magical powers to keep it hidden. Strange knights come, questing after the treasure, but none return. Then a handsome young knight arrives, and Hannah falls in love with him. During his battle with the wizard, he is turned into a fox. After imprisoning the evil wizard in a cage of thorns, Hannah and her friends set off to find the Queen who sent Foxkith to the Tanglewood. A long involved journey leads them to a ruined island where Hannah at last learns of her true nature and mission in life. This is a complex story with a strong mythical theme. It puts forth the idea of an ancient earth mother who is both life giver and sustainer. If her spirit is wounded, the earth will suffer. The characters are well drawn and believable. The language is quite lovely but there are many quirky or unusual words. Likewise, the sentence structure has an archaic feel. All this takes some getting used to. Those readers who stick with the story long enough to get hooked will find it to be a well-fashioned fantasy with a particularly delightful ending.- Bruce Anne Shook, Mendenhall Middle School, Greensboro, NC Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information. From: Reed Elsevier Inc. Copyright Reed Business Information