Oddmire

"Funny, exciting, and ultimately epic. Wow. I can't wait for the next one." -Adam Gidwitz, author of the New York Times bestseller A Tale Dark and Grimm "Set in a magical world filled with incredible creatures from folklore, this fast-paced fantasy will keep readers turning the pages . . . A captivating series opener." -Booklist, starred review Magic is fading from the Wild Wood. To renew it, goblins must perform an ancient ritual involving the rarest of their kind-a newborn changeling. But when the night arrives to trade a human baby for a goblin one, something goes terribly wrong. After laying the changeling in a human infant's crib, the goblin Kull is briefly distracted. By the time he turns back, the changeling has already perfectly mimicked the human child. Too perfectly: Kull cannot tell them apart, so he leaves both babies behind. Tinn and Cole are raised as human twins, neither knowing what secrets may be buried deep inside one of them. When they are thirteen years old, a mysterious message arrives, calling the brothers to be heroes and protectors of magic. The boys must leave their sleepy town and risk their lives in the Wild Wood, journeying through the Deep Dark to reach the goblin horde and uncover who they truly are. In this first book in a new fantasy-adventure series, the New York Times bestselling author of Jackaby takes readers on a journey of monsters, magic, and discovery. William Ritter is an Oregon educator and New York Times best-selling author. He is the proud father of the two bravest boys in the Wild Wood, and husband to the indomitable Queen of the Deep Dark. The Oddmire is his first series for middle-grade readers. Visit William Ritter online at rwillritter.wordpress.com and find him on Twitter: @Willothewords. "Ritter crafts a well-paced adventure filled with whimsy and peril, in which the bonds of family and love prove stronger than any spell or curse. With memorable characters-especially the irrepressible protagonists, who make a delightful team-and an atmospheric setting, this is a strong series opener." -Publishers Weekly "Set in a magical world filled with incredible creatures from folklore, this fast-paced fantasy will keep readers turning the pages as they follow the twins through the dark and mysterious woods. Unique characters with complex personalities will give readers insight into the feelings and actions of not only Tinn and Cole and their mother, but the creatures-both good and evil-they encounter on their journey. A captivating series opener." -Booklist, starred review "Fans of Michael Buckley's 'Sisters Grimm' novels will delight in this fast-paced, page-turning fantasy . . . A must-buy for any collection and a title that will lead readers to other classic titles used as source ­material." -School Library Journal "A delightful series opener." -Kirkus Reviews "Ritter invests the novel's questions about biological identity and birthright with equally powerful affirmations of bonds forged by familial love . . . The snappy, humorous dialogue and shifting perspectives keep the pace lively, and readers can look forward to learning more about Fable in the next installment." -The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "This is the delightful beginning to a new series about goblins who seek to restore magic to the Wild Wood." -Book Riot   "Ritter's brand of magic here is a gift for all readers of the fantastical-young and old alike." -The Mountain Times   "A great adventure that keeps you guessing!" -Imagination Soup

Human-raised brothers Tinn and Cole join forces with Fable, daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark, to stop the fighting between the people of Endsborough and the creatures of the Wild Wood before violence turns into all-out war.   Human and goblin brothers Cole and Tinn are finding their way back to normal after their journey to the heart of the Oddmire. Normal, unfortunately, wants nothing to do with them. Fable, the daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark, has her first true friends in the brothers. The Queen allows Fable to visit Tinn and Cole as long as she promises to stay quiet and out of sight-concealing herself and her magic from the townspeople of Endsborough. But when the trio discovers that humans are destroying the Wild Wood and the lives of its creatures for their own dark purposes, Fable cannot stay quiet. As the unspoken truce between the people of Endsborough and the inhabitants of the Wild Wood crumbles, violence escalates, threatening war and bringing Fable's mother closer to the fulfillment of a deadly prophecy that could leave Fable a most Unready Queen. In this second book in the Oddmire series, the New York Times bestselling author of Jackaby takes readers on an adventure full of monsters, mayhem, and magic. Fable-the bold, outspoken, and adventurous half-human daughter of the Queen of the Deep Dark-takes center stage as she and her friends Tinn and Cole fight to prevent a war that threatens lives as well as peace, as the unspoken truce between humans and the creatures of the Wild Wood begins to crumble in this second book in the Oddmire series. William Ritter is an Oregon educator and the New York Times bestselling author of the Jackaby series, which received glowing trade and national reviews and was named to many state lists. He is the proud father of the two bravest boys in the Wild Wood, and husband to the indomitable Queen of the Deep Dark. Visit him online at rwillritter.wordpress.com and find him on Twitter: @Willothewords. "The Oddmire series' memorable, inspiring characters are full of heart and, combined with the enchanting magic surrounding them, form the strong core of a burgeoning fantasy classic." -Booklist, starred review "In another brilliantly written visit to Oddmire, Ritter returns to an already magical place filled with danger and intrigue, and adds a new chapter to an outstanding series. VERDICT Those who loved book one will adore book two. A wonderful addition to the series and to young fantasy collections." -School Library Journal, starred review "Ritter deftly executes the all-too-timely theme of racist demagoguery-and profiting from it-in a way that is realistic yet hopeful. He also leavens it with humor: Fable, particularly, is a reliable source of silliness and fart jokes . . . Captivating adventure, magical friendship, and just the right amount of goofiness." --Kirkus Reviews

The third adventure in the beloved fantasy series full of folklore and mayhem, from the creator of Jackaby. Brothers Cole and Tinn are determined to solve a mystery almost as old as they are: What happened to their long-missing father? Joseph Burton vanished without a trace, leaving the babies' mother to raise them-one human, one a goblin changeling-alone. Some say Joseph abandoned his family, others that he met foul play looking for a way to get rid of the changeling imposter. Cole is determined to learn his father's true fate, so he and Tinn set out on a dangerous quest to the deepest, most deadly limits of the Oddmire-with the help of Evie, expert on the creatures of the Wild Wood, and Fable, the indomitable half human, half fairy. Meanwhile a shudder runs through the forest. Increasingly powerful earthquakes shake the land, sinkholes form, and the spriggans, trolls, and other creatures along their path speak of an ancient evil on the rise... In the third book of the Oddmire series, New York Times bestselling author William Ritter takes readers on an unforgettable journey of family, fate, and a dangerous, magical forest. The third adventure in the beloved fantasy series full of folklore and mayhem from the creator of Jackaby, takes brothers Tinn and Cole on a dangerous journey beyond the heart of the Oddmire to find their long-lost father. William Ritter is an Oregon author and educator. He is the proud father of the two bravest boys in the Wild Wood, and husband to the indomitable Queen of the Deep Dark. The Oddmireis Ritter's first series for middle-grade readers.