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This is one of those books that I had varying feelings about. It's a little dark, starting with the death of the children's parents, which we are present for (unlike most books which begin with the children already being orphans). We are left with a very angry, hostile, and rude Samuel and his sister Martha who suffers from selective mutism. The children are whisked from everything that they've ever known to a dull existence in a nowhere kind of place in Norway--something sure to build sympathy in young readers. The story takes a bit to really get going, although there is plenty of spooky foreshadowing along the way. Once we get to the part where the children are actually in the forest, the action speeds up and the story comes alive with palpable evil and exotic characters. The creatures felt very inventive to me, although I have seen notes that many things are based on Norse mythology. I think that kids will love the death-defying adventures of Samuel and Martha. This is not a book that shies away from death and there are many somber moments (including a bit of a plug for vegetarianism). I saw other reviews that said that the book was funny but I disagree. There are some quirky and wryly humorous asides throughout the book but I would not promote it as something with overall humor; it's something with an occasional smile, not something that would cause you to laugh. The creepiness is off the charts and this is what young readers will really thrill at.