The Grace of Wild Things captures essence of Green Gables

THE GRACE OF WILD THINGS, by Heather Fawcett, Balzer + Bray, Feb. 14, 2023, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 8-12)

A young witch discovers her own magic in Heather Fawcett’s in The Grace of Wild Things, a reimagining of Anne of Green Gables.

Grace has never been good at anything except magic — not that anyone believes her.

While other children are adopted from the orphanage, nobody wants Grace. So, she decides to make a home for herself by running away and offering herself as an apprentice to the witch in the nearby woods. After all, who better to teach Grace to use her magic? Surely the witch can’t be that bad.

But the witch is that bad — she steals souls for spells and gobbles up hearts. So, Grace offers a deal: If she can learn all 100½ spells in the witch’s grimoire, the witch will make Grace her apprentice. But if Grace fails, the witch can take her magic. The witch agrees, and soon an unexpected bond develops between them.

But the spells are much harder than Grace expected, and when a monster from the witch’s past threatens the home Grace has built, she may have to sacrifice more than her magic to save it. —Synopsis provided by Balzer + Bray

The Grace of Wild Things is a lovely reimagining of Anne of Green Gables that captures the spirit of the classic and essence of “Anne” while becoming something that stands fantastically on its own.

In this book, Anne is Grace, Marilla is a witch, Matthew is a cloud and Gilbert a fairy. And each one is perfectly suited to both the tale and world crafted by Heather Fawcett.

Grace is the girl/witch you want to root for. She’s bright and inquisitive and wonderfully flawed. The witch is dark and crusty and nuanced. And as Grace forges friendships, supporting characters help to fully flesh things out. Each of the children have specific quirks that really make them stand out.

The best things about The Grace of Wild Things are the feelings it evokes. Picking it up is like visiting with an old friend. Fawcett’s writing is warm and inviting, full of wit and emotion. The Grace of Wild Things is a fine update to a beloved classic.

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