Amazon.com Review

The U.S. gets a tremendous treat with the introduction of the Edge Chronicles, a fantastic boy-meets-world saga from British author-illustrator team Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell.

An un-traditional coming-of-age story, the Edge Chronicles begins with Beyond the Deepwoods, in which our put-upon protagonist, Twig (a misplaced human boy who's being raised by woodtrolls) gets a hint of his true heritage, sheds his Deepwoods upbringing, and does the unthinkable: He strays from the path. Alone for the first time and surviving by his wits, Twig must surmount all manner of perils to pursue a destiny that is whisperingly, mysteriously promised to him "beyond the Deepwoods." From one frying pan to the next (but never quite into the fire) Twig either bests or befriends a ferocious, Carroll-esque menagerie of Deepwoods denizens--from foul-mouthed halitoads and red-faced slaughterers to galumphing banderbears and piranha-Tribble wig-wigs.

Paul Stewart lays the foundation for some pretty terrific storytelling in this first book--only hinting at what lies ahead in this world where rocks float and sky pirates ride the sky above--but the contribution of illustrator Chris Riddell can't be overstated. Whether in the jowly cheeks of the gyle goblins' Grossmother or the menacing gaze of the supra-evil Gloazgomer, Riddell (an accomplished political cartoonist) manages to match Stewart's descriptions blow-for-blow in evocative pen-and-ink. Grownups and kids alike will rush to the store to pick up the second adventure, the tantalizingly titled . (Ages 9 to 12) --Paul Hughes

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8–Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell's first book in the series (Random, 2004) is chock full of bizarre happenings, incongruities, and perilous adventures. Thirteen-year-old Twig always knew he was different. When his wood troll mother tells him he isn't a wood troll and that she found him as a baby, Twig begins to wonder about who he really is and where he came from. He visits a wood troll family member and runs into trouble almost immediately as he strays from the path. Twig has a number of strange encounters, especially a dangerous and terrifying one with a tree. The Deepwoods is populated with all manner of weird and quirky characters, not the least of which are trees and rocks that float when heated, sky pirates, and the most horrible creature of all–the gloamglozer. Fantasy lovers will enjoy this brisk, somewhat predictable tale with a twist of the unusual.–_Charli Osborne, Oxford Public Library, Oxford, MI_
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