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midnightbookgirl 's review for:
It Came from the Trees
by Ally Russell
Creepy Middle Grade creature horror, with the added whammy of racism and the way children are often dismissed. Jenna is all excited to join the Owlets group (think girl scouts), and her bestie Reese joins her. Jenna loves the outdoors and camping, and her grandfather was the first black ranger of the reservation they are camping at. Unfortunately her troop leader is not very welcoming to her and Reese, sticking them in the back of the trail and giving them the most work. It's sad how much it's killing her spirit and love for the outdoors. The other troop members are also unwelcoming. On their last night, Jenna feels like she's being watched, and there's a foul animal scent in the air. She and Reese have set up their tent away from the others due to not feeling included, and in the night they are attacked... by a creature, who snatches Reese. No one believes Jenna's version of events, and the cops basically conclude 12 year old Reese ran away. Into the woods. Without anything. Oooookay. Only Jenna's grandfather, Paps, believes her. Strange things exist in forests. Her mom at least supports her. But Jenna can't just let Reese's abduction go. She begs to join the other Owlet group because they have an upcoming hike, basically using the excuse of hey, mom, I need to get back on the horse. Mom reluctantly agrees.
Her new troop members and leader are a million times better. Despite her reluctance to focus on anything other than finding Reese or marking trees so if Reese sees them she can follow them out of the woods, Jenna likes her new troop and leader, but still doesn't confide in them, even as the creature begins to follow them and attacks her tent again until her screams scare him away. Eventually, a brutal attack that leaves them stuck has Jenna opening up, and the girls unite to fight off the creature- which I guess is a bigfoot like monster.
The monster has previously killed a child before, who's bones are found. Reese escaped from him, and kept running. He thankfully got a whiff of Jenna, allowing Reese to shake him off of her. She finds the chalk markings Jenna and eventually her new friend Norrie left and leaves the woods after the troop is rescued. The troop is able to fight off the monster and the rescue squad shows up just in time. The troop leader has a terrible broken leg, and there is a particularly gruesome scene with a dead one eyed remaining coyote hanging from a tree. I really appreciated the way the author weaved in the racism both Jenna and Reese experienced, it felt completely realistic, especially when their old leader pretends she was scared when Reese spoke up to her about getting stick gathering duties for the second night in the row. It was infuriating to read the scene where Jenna is being talked down to by the cops and how sure they are that Reese is just another run away
Her new troop members and leader are a million times better. Despite her reluctance to focus on anything other than finding Reese or marking trees so if Reese sees them she can follow them out of the woods, Jenna likes her new troop and leader, but still doesn't confide in them, even as the creature begins to follow them and attacks her tent again until her screams scare him away. Eventually, a brutal attack that leaves them stuck has Jenna opening up, and the girls unite to fight off the creature- which I guess is a bigfoot like monster.