The Greener Forest by Vonnie Winslow Crist

In The Greener Forest anything is possible. Silver maples sing in angel-song. Spriggans skulk about cypress knees and wreak havoc at an amusement park. The Applehead Lady's true identity is revealed by moonlight filtering through the branches of an ancient tree. A scarecrow finds true love in an ash grove. And a wayward beech tree root sends a woman into the arms of a kindhearted giant. These stories and more lead the reader into the depths of The Greener Forest, where Faerie and the everyday world collide. There is dark and light, evil and good, and uncertain dusky gray lurking between the pages of this book. Discover that all is not what it seems at first glance and wondrous things still happen in The Greener Forest.


This was a lovely collection to read. Filled with magical moments, these stories and poems will please everyone, from kids to adults who like a little wonder with their reading.

From the very first poem which gives the collection its title, we are welcomed into a land of imagination and magic. The wonderful, lush descriptions delight the reader, while the illustrations tickle the inner child in all of us. “Birdling” captivated me with its sweetness, while in “Appleheads”, there was a vague sinister mood, very much like the fairy-tales we’ve all grown up with. My favorite, however, has to be “Dark Fairy”, a lovely poem with a musicality to it that would make any reader nod along. There is something for everyone here, all hues and melodies, so even if you don’t enjoy the whole book, you’ll definitely find at least one story or poem to fall in love with.

If you are still looking for a holiday gift for a child or a fanciful adult, I highly recommend this collection.