Friday, July 26, 2024

The NOLO: Danger in the Hills by Liz Fahey


NOLO is short for Nolomus, a mythical creature of the forest. Danger in the Hills introduces young readers first to Jake the Nolo and his mundane daily rituals. Readers are then introduced to a group of children lost in the woods. After being scared by a wild animal and now lost in the woods, it was agreed that two should head to higher ground and try to signal for help. Heather & Colleen carried out their duty and were on their way back when Heather slipped and hurt her ankle. In the midst of her despair, she remembered her uncle telling about the Nolo and that if she were to call out, they would hear her. She faintly whispered "Nolo."

Jake's ears perked up and he set off on a trot. What the reader doesn't know is whether he is friend or foe to humans. When Heather and Colleen first encounter the huge Nolo, they aren't too sure either! There is a bit of mild peril and some humor mixed in as the children and Jake try to find a way to communicate with one another. Will the girls be able to get Jake's help to save the rest of the kids?  The book offers just the right amount of suspense without being too scary for youngsters. This would make a great read aloud, but keep in mind that if you read at bedtime, kids will be begging for extra chapters to know how it turns out!

The end of the book explains the origin story for the Nolo. But there isn't much explanation of how the children came to be stranded alone in the woods. Perhaps the author wanted to leave that up the imagination of readers. The Nolo stories were first imagined by the author's father (known as "Uncle Jerry" and Ms. Fahey wanted to share his stories with new generations. It would make a great exercise for children to try their hand at creating their own Nolo story! In the back the author also includes illustrations of the various subspecies of Nolo (which will hopefully factor into future stories). 

I loved the illustrations and they really help draw the readers attention to the exciting parts of the story. Artistic children could be encouraged to draw some Nolo characters of their own. Ms. Fahey's book offers an exciting story with just a hint of suspense and a whole lot of entertainment for elementary readers. Keep an eye out for future adventures!  

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The NOLO: Danger in the Hills through Reedsy Discovery for the purpose of review. The opinions expressed are my own.    


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