The Forest of Stars

In this mysterious and mesmerizing fantasy novel, perfect for fans of Splendor and Glooms and Circus Mirandus, a windswept girl who can float among the stars searches for her long-lost father at a shadow-filled carnival.

"Kassner’s writing dazzles . . . a tale of hope, courage, and friendship." —Newbery Honor winner Ingrid Law

Left all alone after her mother passes away, twelve-year-old Louisa LaRoche watches the sky for her father. Long ago, a powerful gust of wind swept through town, stealing him away on the wings of his untamed magic—the same magic that stirs within Louisa. As if she is made of hollow bones and too much air, her feet never quite touch the ground.

But for all her sky gazing, Louisa finds her fortune on the leaf-strewn street when she spots a gleaming black-and-gold invitation—a ticket to the Carnival Beneath the Stars. If her father fits in nowhere else, maybe she’ll find him there, dazzling crowds alongside the other strange and wonderful feats. Only, soon after she arrives, a tightrope act ends disastrously—and suspiciously. As fate tugs Louisa closer to the stars, she must decide if she’s willing to slip into the injured performer’s role, despite the darkness plucking at the carnival’s magical threads.

In The Forest of Stars, Heather Kassner weaves a spectacle of wondrous magic, unexpected friendship, and dark secrets.

A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company

"A dark and dazzling tale, glistening with marvels, mysteries and the magic of friendship." —Sophie Anderson, author of The House with Chicken Legs

"Woven together with atmospheric, lyrical language, this is a sparkling tale about grief, hope, and found families. The magic of this book will touch your heart and send it soaring." —Amanda Foody, author of Ace of Shades