The World of the Wazzlewoods (A Fern & Dale Fairy Tale)

My son is almost 2 years old and I have already began looking for chaper books for him. Thus far I have found 2: Wazzlewoods and tales of the Saints. I highly recommend Wazzlewoods for parents and child reading alike! And don’t forget to share it when finished. It’s that worth it.

As an adult, I enjoyed the book so much. It was so clever and witty. I loved the premise of the book in general and as an adult, it let me experience some of the magic of Cream City. Can't wait for the next installment.

I live in a neighboring town to "Cream City" and had to pick this up when I saw it in a local bookstore. It's adorable, imaginative, and exciting! I loved the little tidbits about the Victorian town (actually called Ferndale, CA) where the author mentioned certain stores and locations that I have been to (if you haven't been to this town, you must plan a trip!). Both of my daughters (ages 5 and 7) loved the book and had me read it cover to cover in one sitting.

Wonderfully written story, very inventive. Nothing else like it, and can't wait to read of more adventures of the Wazzelwoods!

Whittling and redwoods make for a magical combination in this book, set in a real town, and now I want to visit! Ferndale, California, also called Cream City, sounds positively charming! If I’m ever nearby, we will be sure to visit, especially the Firemen’s Park and the Golden Gait Mercantile. 🙂This book lets you introduce children to local magic in a way that stimulates imagination and appreciation. Instead of spells getting a child to escape reality, this book uses a few magical creatures to draw out the beauty that so often already surrounds us.Delightful details reminded me about traditions that shouldn’t be lost, including the glory of “gingerbread” houses, and fun little things like naming a dog Maggie after Ferdinand Magellan!One great line near the end is this: “Those who have eyes to see magic also have ears to hear it.” What a neat line for a Christian to read!This is an absolutely charming story, winsome in many ways. Geared toward early readers, it’s also great for a family read aloud. For those with young children, the most negative aspect of the book is maybe a use of “butt” once or twice. Clean and encouraging with positive multi-generational family relationships.Great job, Rev. Bramwell! Very enjoyable! Keep up the good work! Hopefully including sequels in this series!

Like S.D. Smith’s *The Green Ember*, this book has the cozy feel of a story a dad might tell his children on a car ride. This one, though, is a much simpler tale. The very short chapters would be helpful if your kids are still learning to sit through read-aloud time or if you want a quick prequel to bedtime.The tale follows two sibling’s afternoon adventure when they discover that the “Wazzles,” little wooden figures carved by their grandfather, are alive (it’s a nice touch that the Wazzles refer to Grandpa as “Mr. Knife”). A fantastical action sequence soon unfolds. The solution is cute and appealed to my children.Two quibbles: an aspect that left me unenthused was the appeal to slightly vulgar humor. Children of a certain age find references to buttocks very funny, and the author makes use of that several times. I had to explain the term "mooning" to my kids. I also question the decision to keep the magic secret from the parents. Why do the kids automatically assume that mom and dad can’t be trusted? Is it really a good thing to fall in with the modern trope that parents are dense and impediments to fun? I do, however, realize that this may make it easier for readers to consider the magic ambiguous (i.e., is it real, or are the kids just pretending with a little encouragement from Grandpa?). Tastes differ, and many families will have no complaint about either of these things.I asked my five-year-old and three-year-old what they thought of the book. They said they liked it, and thought other kids would too. I think it might have "hit the spot" for them even more if they were a little older.By the way, the black and white illustrations by Edward Roijas are wonderful and added a great deal to our enjoyment of the story. If you're looking for something quick and fun as a summertime family read-aloud, this story may be just the ticket.

Two children, their parents, and their dog come to Cream City, California to live at their grandpa’s house. The children explore the house and find their grandpa’s carvings. But their grandpa tells them that they are not ordinary wood carvings. They are really magical creatures called the wazzles. When the dog carries one off, the adventure into the world of the wazzlewoods begin. Join the children as they work with the other wazzles to rescue their friend before the wayward wazzles stop them.It is a creative and fun adventure with imaginative characters that I enjoyed. It is a very quick read and moves right into the action. The reader is introduced into a world full of talking animals, the Fellowship of the Fog, and wayward wazzles which leaves you looking for more. If you are looking for something fun and new with a fantasy theme, give this book a try.

It’s a cute story. I read it first before giving it to my daughter to read. There is nothing objectionable in it. The fantasy is sweet. However, I felt as though the story stopped too soon. Especially because the narrator mentioned multiple stories at the start of the book. It would make more sense if this were the first book in a series, but as far as I can tell this is the only book. It is still a delightful read of whimsical fantasy and I can comfortably let my daughter read this now. I’m sure she will enjoy it.