by Amos Oz
Harcourt Children’s Books, $15.99, 134 pages
In a cursed village, there are no animals. They’ve been taken away, but no one will say why. The children aren’t allowed out at night, because a demon haunts the forest. One day, young Maya and Matti learn a secret about the animals. Like Hansel and Gretl, Maya and Matti head out into the gloomy woods, not knowing what they might find. Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest is a fairy tale, but not one exclusively for children. Like the original folktales gathered by the Brothers Grimm, this one has a kind of depth and thematic content that may well resonate more with parents than with children. Israeli author Amos Oz, who writes primarily for adult audiences, has been considered a candidate for the Nobel Prize in recent years. Suddenly in the Depths of the Forest was published several years ago, but is only recently available in translation.
Katie Schneider