The Feather Follower is an early chapter book that follows Mattie, a seven-year-old girl, as she navigates a strange world on the hunt for some important keys. I think the book is written in a style that would be suitable for seven-year-olds, with short, easy to digest chapters that help to keep the story moving. This book did remind me of the Chronicles of Narnia and Alice in Wonderland, the idea of falling into a world where everything isn’t quite as it seems. Mattie faces a lot of unhelpful characters and tricksters throughout but she manages to overcome her difficulties in this strange land. Much like Alice in Wonderland, the characters in this fantasy world are created to reflect people in Mattie's life. I would have liked a bit more clarity about why the keys were so important, and perhaps the connection between the keys and Mattie's mother's sadness could be developed more. I liked the style and the idea and I’m sure this could spark young readers’ imaginations.
Mattie can hear her mother crying. Wondering if this is because her stepfather's office keys are missing she decides that she must try and find them before he returns from a business trip. She discovers that though she cannot do this in the real world it may be possible to do so in a fantasy one.
A white feather guides her through a magical world where the five holders of the keys live. Not only does she have to find these people but also persuade them to give her their keys. Her quest takes her up a mountain, into caverns, a maze, a wood and a castle. But nothing is what it seems and lots of obstacles are put in her path.
