The thing about goodness is that the more you give, the more you get. It's the best magic.
Kelly Barnhill's readers, author of the bestselling Girl, who drank the moon and recipient of the John Newbery Award, they already know, that her fantasy novels are a revelation among other children's books - they are infinitely beautiful, touching, original and charming.
In Kamenthal, a once prosperous and peaceful town full of trees, a fire breaks out and burns down the library, a centre of wisdom and community. Since then it has been downhill - people are estranged from each other, the village is getting poorer and poorer, the trees are decaying. The only salvation seems to be the ever-smiling mayor. I mean, he promises to help everyone. But what people don't know is that there is something terrifying and greedy lurking in the mayor's skin. Only the educated and clever children of the local orphanage do not succumb to the mayor's intoxicating spell. One day, however, one of the orphans disappears and the mayor's schemes cause all eyes to be on an ogre living on the outskirts of town. She said she kidnapped him. But the ogre is quite different than you would think, she is kind, generous and selfless - she has been helping the inhabitants of Kamental selflessly and secretly for a long time.
Can the orphans triumph over anger and hatred? Will they be able to uncover the real culprit in the decline of the entire community? Why won't anyone listen to them?
