Eleven-year-old Tilly has a lifetime of fond family memories, especially solving puzzles with her grandmother Nana Mae and cousin, Finn, who’s also 11, in the woodland behind the family farm. After Nana Mae, who’s struggling with memory loss, moves into a care home, Tilly and Finn, who read white, find one last challenge she’s left them: Inside the “witch hole,” a hollow in the large old oak tree near where the Light Wood meets the Dark Wood, Tilly finds a bronze key with wings like a butterfly. Adding to the mystery, most of the gemstones from Nana Mae’s memory jar are missing; only the moss agate is left. Even as the cousins worry about the fate of the forest, which the adults may sell off, they embark on a scavenger hunt that takes them into the mysterious woods. Fans of gothic literature will enjoy the supernatural imagery and the atmospheric Dark Wood with its witch. Athletic city girl Tilly is independent, outspoken, and protective toward her cousin. She stands up to neighbor boy Hayden when she believes he’s about to bully Finn for his nontraditional interest in makeup. Her growth includes learning to let down her guard and accept help as well as not rushing to quick judgment. The book offers a meaningful exploration of memory and the human psyche.
