The Forest of Musels by Thimithri Kulatunga is a story about two brothers named Tim and Jake who venture into an enchanted forest. They suddenly come across a mysterious note which says that a beast is on the loose. Both Tim and Jake are very naughty and they want to find the beast even though it could be dangerous. As they walk through the woods in search of the beast, they encounter a monster which resembles “a huge ant with antennas that curled at the top.”
The eight-year-old author paints a vivid picture of an enchanted forest through the use of images such as trees, forests, castles and musels. The characters in the novel include humans and musels. There is an anthropomorphic element because the Musels are able to talk to each other as well as to humans. The themes of the relationship between humans and animals, and man’s relationship with the natural world are also highlighted in the novel.
Reviewed by Ryhanna Salie