All it took was one look. One look for twelve-year-old Sydney and her nine-year-old brother Turk to know that everything had changed. The farm where their Uncle Frank and Aunt Lily used to live was gone, and along with it, their dreams of a "happily ever after." No safe place to hide from all that had gone wrong in their world; no one to tell them that everything would be alright. No one, even, to say that hopping a freight train and heading West probably wasn't the greatest idea the pair had ever had. The farm had been their destination, but in its place was a strange new subdivision: The Royal Woods. Now what? Rather than return home and admit defeat, Sydney and Turk embark on the adventure of a lifetime. With an eccentric wanderer and friendly gas station attendant as their only friends---and some neighbourhood bullies as their sworn enemies---the pair struggle to make a life for themselves in their odd new surroundings. In The Royal Woods, Matt Duggan has created a world where fantasy and reality collide---where chickens ride ponies, where golf putters are magic, and where children survive on the strength of their own wits. In this strange and wonderful neighbourhood, you never know what will happen next.

MATT DUGGAN is from Alberta and grew up there and in Manitoba. He has taught high school in Bhutan and Canada, and has written extensively, including several award-winning screenplays, as well as short stories and articles that have appeared in such publications as Prairie Fire and Saturday Night magazine. He writes and teaches in Toronto, where he lives with his wife and two children. The Royal Woods, his first novel, was written for children, and was nominated for The Moonbeam Award and The Silver Birch Award. Cherry Electra is decidedly not for children.

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The Royal Woods

The Royal Woods¸ a charming fairy tale written by first time author Matt Duggan for his daughter, tells the story of two children Sydney and Turk, who run away from home expecting to visit their aunt and uncle at their farm. Instead, they find a new subdivision and super mall where the farm used to be, and no sign of their aunt and uncle. What they do find, however, are an odd cast of characters including a mysterious man named Kumar, who acts as their guardian angel, and a new friend in Shep McParlain, the odd birdman whom they’ve heard whistling behind the mall.

There are several positive themes in this book, including messages about friendship, standing up to bullies, and family relationships. At the start of the book, Sydney is the more vocal sibling, and she is the “brains” behind their adventure. In contrast, Turk is the shy, quiet one who, for the most part, defers to his older sibling. By the end of the book however, positions have shifted, and the change in the relationship dynamic is well-crafted. Duggan’s cast of secondary characters are also entertaining, though somewhat two dimensional, and move the story along at a good pace.

The major weakness in the novel is the narrator’s voice. While the reader does gain the sense of his having first hand information, he never really trusts the reader to follow along on their own. The narration is too descriptive and too frequent, and repeated use of phrases such as “As I’m sure you know,” interrupt unnecessarily and disrupt the flow.

In general, however, the story is entertaining and sweet, and readers will find satisfaction with the happy fairy tale ending.

The Royal Woods

With their mother dead and their father buried under his grief, Sydney and Turk decide to hop a freight train and go west. Their uncle and aunt’s farm is their destination, but in its place they find a strange new area: The Royal Woods.