Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire by John August (review)

Twelve-year-old Arlo Finch has moved around a lot since his father became an enemy of the state and had to flee to China, leaving Arlo, his sister, and his mother behind. Now Arlo’s trying to find his place in Pine Mountain, CO, the small town where his mother grew up and his uncle Wade still lives, which looks to be the long-term plan for his family despite the town’s paranormal peculiarities. When it becomes clear his life is in danger, Arlo and his new friends must unravel the mysteries of the nearby Long Woods to keep Arlo alive. In this first book of a new series, August imagines the Long Woods as a largely imperceptible global network of inter-dimensional forests where things both wondrous and terrifying reside, and Pine Mountain sits uniquely at a sort of gateway. The mysteries—from what makes Arlo a target to why a girl who vanished years ago has reappeared to him and only him—become increasingly more compelling as more pieces are revealed. Even if many of the destined-child tropes seem old hat at this point, readers will find Arlo relatable, especially if they’ve ever struggled to fit in themselves.