Celeste is having the worst summer ever. Her parents are off on an adventure and she’s stuck at Gran’s house with her annoying little sister Esme and under strict instructions to be responsible – or, as Esme says, boring. So when their eccentric cousin Ferd crash-lands a flying bus in the yard, what choice does Celeste have but to follow Ferd back home to Seven Wherewithal Way?
Wherewithal – Ferd’s house, and the gateway to the many Realms unreachable from Earth – is bursting with magic and mystery and otherworldly creatures. It’s Celeste’s favourite place in any world. But when something tries to break in through the portal in the pantry – the door to the mystical Realm of Forests – Celeste learns that both Wherewithal and her beloved cousin are under threat. If Celeste wants to save her cousin, their home, its inhabitants and possibly even all the Realms, she is going to have to find her adventurous side. Fast.
Full of heart-in-your-mouth action, unforgettable characters, and folklore-inspired magic that feels both fresh and familiar, Seven Wherewithal Way is the unputdownable first book in an epic portal fantasy series for readers aged 10+.
As a child, author Samantha Ellen-Bound found a second home in the beautifully illustrated volumes of world folklore, which she still has today and used as a reference while writing Seven Wherewithal Way. Throughout the book, Bound weaves a mesmerising story that harks back to folklore’s universal themes of human fears, family, celebration and belonging – themes that are very much present in Seven Wherewithal Way.
With the novel’s opening of Ferd falling out of the sky, I was hooked from the get-go! In this first instalment, we see Celeste, Esme, and Ferd travel into a realm inspired by the real and mythical landscapes of Eastern Europe. Here, they make friends and enemies from Slavic folklore as they fight to save their magical home away from home.
I loved this trio. Having grown up in a tight-knit family, the relationship between the sisters and Ferd was familiar and invigorating all at once. While they make many friends and enemies along the way, the importance and strength of family remains significant to them. While the trio’s collective unity is strong, I also enjoyed their individuality; each character has their own unique traits that shine through at different points throughout the story.
At the end of the book, Bound lists some further reading, titles that she particularly drew on and was inspired by when writing this book. I’ve personally only read a handful of folklore stories, but Seven Wherewithal Way has inspired me to read more.
Book #2 is set for release in October 2022 and based on the sneak peek we’re offered at the end of book #1, I can’t wait to see the portal adventure they embark on next.
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