The Wind Rises: Book 1 of The Alma Series

Gr 4-7–Mystery is on every page of this fantasy that has some touches of historical fiction. The novel opens with a family in a unique world that is full of peace, joy, and happiness. As more is shared about the family of two loving parents and three children, readers become aware that the parents are hiding something incredibly important to the safety of the entire family. When one member goes missing, others slowly disappear as they leave to search, slipping from this nearly magical world to one that will seem more familiar. The author begins to introduce new characters and settings that are seemingly unrelated to the previous plot. The story becomes more complex as readers are left to manage all the disparate characters. As the novel concludes, de Fombelle weaves all the story lines into a riveting series debut that borders on transcendent.