Tales from Wakken Wood

Kate Taliaferro reviews a new book for teens and young adults: a sweeping adventure in the middle of a mystery that shows us the importance of community. 

Tales from Wakken Wood

By E.P. Cowley

Published by Ignatius Press

E.P. Cowley’s debut novel, Tales from Wakken Wood, is full of mysteries and surprises. Cowley was inspired by the legends and tales of the Isle of Man, an island in the northern Irish Sea. The island has a rich history of legends and tales, called Manx Legends, that include fairies, giants, magic, mysterious lakes and ancient stones. Drawing upon this tradition, Cowley gently infuses the themes of selflessness, kindness, community, and a willingness to hold onto hope even when all seems lost.

We follow the story of Peter Thornburg, a silver-eyed boy and his unlikely friend, Pixel. Pixel is the daughter of the Rilson family who, for reasons neither children understand at the beginning, are consistently at odds with Peter’s. Both children are sent to live with relatives on a nearby island, but for very different reasons. Peter’s family is falling apart and he is consistently bullied for his unusual eyes. When his father informs him he is going to Wakkenburg House, he doesn’t offer much of an explanation beyond it’s just where Peter belongs. Pixel, on the other hand, is being sent to the island for some kind of treatment for an unknown disease which has no visible symptoms.

As both children settle into their new surrounds, mysteries begin appearing one after another. Peter comes to discover that not only do his aunt and uncle live in Wakkenburg House. He meets the Fennys, little people with magical powers who are only just now becoming visible due to his arrival at the house. There’s a great black dog, Moody Doug, who becomes Peter’s companion. The longer Peter stays in the house, the stranger things become. He opens locked areas of the house, bringing light and expansion. He learns more about the history of the island and his own family history. He also learns of the wizard, Mac Lir, who is the reason for the Silver-Eyed ones in his family, of which Peter is the fourth. But is Mac Lir good, or evil? Helpful, or self-serving? And why has he returned to the island?

Pixel’s stay with her aunt is no less mysterious. Her questions go unanswered and with each passing day she feels worse, not better, after her treatments. She feels watched, certain there is more than meets the eye in the Rilson house. The only comfort she has is in meeting a local Bread Lady and her hope to see Peter. Eventually, she and Peter are reunited. Then, the real mystery begins.

Cowley takes us on a grand adventure through the island. Sometimes together, more often apart, Peter and Pixel encounter a great many creatures of the Wakken Wood. Giants, Glashtyn (water horses), Moonjer Veggey (small hunters that travel in a group with a small pack of hounds), Shee (shadowy figures that lure people by assuming either there hidden desire or sorrow), and Arken Sonney (similar to hedgehogs who consider themselves guardians of the forest). They also meet a mysterious child, the Small One, who seems to be able to pass through the very center of the world and beyond. Wise beyond appearance, and connected with the Grandfather, the Small One bolsters hope and reminds both Peter and Pixel of the inherent goodness of the world. There is also the Lady, who appears when she is needed, offering a renewal of courage and strength to continue on.

A Refreshing Emphasis on Community

I most enjoyed the emphasis on community throughout this book. At the start, neither Peter nor Pixel have much of a sense of community. Even their friendship is tenuous because of Peter’s outcast state due to his strange eyes. As they each grow into their own, they begin to attract others to them. They each show us how to reserve judgment and to meet others where they are. They listen to the advice of others who encourage them to extend a hand of welcoming to each newcomer. While it does create a large cast of characters to keep track of, Cowley shows us the importance of each participant in the grand conclusion of the novel. No one is left out and each provides a necessary service, choice, or sacrifice which results in the final victory.

Tales from Wakken Wood is a sweeping adventure. With an array of characters and personalities, as well as the mystery of who, exactly, is causing the ultimate problem of the island, makes for a captivating tale. I believe this is a book that could be returned to again and again, each time discovering little snippets of foreshadowing and character development hidden throughout the novel. I would recommend this novel for later middle-grade students as well as teenagers and adults who enjoy mysteries, fairy tales, legends, and hero quest tales.

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Copyright 2026 Kate Taliaferro
Images: (top) detail from cover