Autumn in the Wyrd Woods

By Michelle Nephew

Sophie, Emma, and Jack delve back into the Wyrd Woods for a new adventure filled with magic. When Jack is lured into the forest by impish wyrdlings, it’s up to Sophie and Emma to save him. But little do they know, the bad witch is on his trail too! Join them as they explore the strange and wondrous Northwoods, full of fantastical creatures and exciting adventures.

The Wyrd Woods is a series of early reader chapter books for lower elementary children. It features chapter lengths, vocabulary, and subjects appropriate for young readers just starting their reading adventures. Each book also includes a special Parent’s Guide section with ideas to talk about with your child, a sneak preview of the next book in the series, and bonus material.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Michelle Nephew
• Release date: Sep 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463148297

Michelle Nephew

Michelle Nephew has her Ph.D. in English Literature and is a co-owner of publishing company Atlas Games. She spends her weekends with her husband and three kids at their cabin in Minnesota’s magical Northwoods.

Book preview

Autumn in the Wyrd Woods

BY MICHELLE NEPHEW

BOOK TWO OF

The Wyrd Woods Series

DEDICATION:

To John, for not actually ignoring our kids when he's woodworking.

Version 1.0

Copyright 2019 Michelle Nephew.

All rights reserved.

Cover photo copyright Elena Schweitzer, Dreamstime.com

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Visit MichelleNephew.com/wwautumn

Table of Contents

CHAPTER ONE:

Strangers in the Wyrd Woods

CHAPTER TWO:

Passing by the Wyrd Woods

CHAPTER THREE:

Caught in the Wyrd Woods

CHAPTER FOUR:

Flight into the Wyrd Woods

CHAPTER FIVE:

Lost and Found in the Wyrd Woods

CHAPTER SIX:

Rescue from the Wyrd Woods

CHAPTER SEVEN:

The Heart of the Wyrd Woods

CHAPTER EIGHT:

Autumn's End in the Wyrd Woods

SPECIAL SECTION:

Parent's Guide

SNEAK PREVIEW:

Winter in the Wyrd Woods

COLORING CHALLENGE:

Draw Your Own Wyrdling

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Nephew

CHAPTER ONE:

Strangers in

the Wyrd Woods

Once there were three little kids named Sophie, Emma, and Jack. They lived in a normal house in a normal town, and went to a normal school.

But at the end of the week, they went to a place that was anything but normal. On weekends they stayed at their family’s log cabin in the Wyrd Woods, where magic lived.

***

I’ll bet they call it Long Lake because it takes so long to get there, complained Sophie. She wiggled in her seat some more.

The drive out to their cabin on the shore of Long Lake was usually long and boring. But it usually wasn’t the peak of the autumn colors. Now mile after mile of unending dark green had changed into something magical.

Emma and Jack pointed at the splashes of bright gold poplar and birch trees. They loved the flashes of vivid scarlet oaks, too. But their favorites were the tri-color bursts of the maples in brilliant red, orange, and yellow.

It’s like the whole Wyrd Woods is on fire. Like fireworks! sighed Emma looking out the window, amazed.

But watching scenery wasn’t something Sophie was good at. She had infinite energy according to her dad. Now Mom could see her short blonde bob bouncing up and down, up and down in the rear view mirror.

We’re almost there, kiddos, Mom assured them.

Watch out for that hunter on the side of the road, Dad suddenly warned. Their car slowed and passed by an empty red truck.

Why did they leave a truck out in the middle of nowhere? Sophie asked.

Did you see the trailer attached? They took an ATV into the forest to hunt. The kids still looked confused, so Dad explained, That's like a four-wheeled motorcycle that can go off road. It makes it faster to get to their deer stand – the platform up in a tree where they hide to watch for deer. And the ATV makes it easy to bring back a deer if they shoot one.

We’ll have to break out the blaze orange hats this weekend, Mom said.

Why owange? Jack asked. He was only a few years younger than his sisters, who were twins even though they didn’t look alike. But he sounded even smaller, because he had trouble saying some words.

I know! Emma spoke up. It’s because deer can’t see orange, but people can. Deer are ‘color blind.’ Orange just looks grey to them, and blends in with the trees. But to make up for it, deer can see really well in low light, Emma