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Heartwood Hotel #4
Home Again
In the final installment of this sweet illustrated chapter book series, summer has come to Fernwood Forest, and the staff of the Heartwood Hotel must trust each other as they contend with their biggest challenge yet.
It's summer at the Heartwood Hotel, and everyone is in a flurry getting ready for Ms. Prickles's wedding to Mr. Quillson! Meanwhile, a new mouse guest named Strawberry comes to stay. She's sweet and soft-spoken like Mona, and gifted in the kitchen just as Mona's mother was-could Strawberry be a long-lost relative?
But when lightning strikes part of Fernwood Forest and starts a fire, all thoughts go to the guests and staff hurrying to leave to make sure their homes and families are safe. Mona works to protect the Heartwood from harm, but as the fire rages on, it's becoming dangerous to stay. Can Mona and her friends save their home before it's too late?
In the final installment of the Heartwood Hotel series, Mona faces her greatest challenge yet, and she might discover just what family truly means.
It's summer at the Heartwood Hotel, and everyone is in a flurry getting ready for Ms. Prickles's wedding to Mr. Quillson! Meanwhile, a new mouse guest named Strawberry comes to stay. She's sweet and soft-spoken like Mona, and gifted in the kitchen just as Mona's mother was-could Strawberry be a long-lost relative?
But when lightning strikes part of Fernwood Forest and starts a fire, all thoughts go to the guests and staff hurrying to leave to make sure their homes and families are safe. Mona works to protect the Heartwood from harm, but as the fire rages on, it's becoming dangerous to stay. Can Mona and her friends save their home before it's too late?
In the final installment of the Heartwood Hotel series, Mona faces her greatest challenge yet, and she might discover just what family truly means.
172 pages, Hardcover
First published July 3, 2018
About the author
Kallie George
81 books330 followersI’m an author, editor, and speaker living in Vancouver, BC, near the sea. When I’m not writing or editing, I’m teaching creative writing workshops.
I have my Masters of Children's Literature from the University of British Columbia.
I love picture books, fairy tales, beautiful art and music, and baking cookies.
I have my Masters of Children's Literature from the University of British Columbia.
I love picture books, fairy tales, beautiful art and music, and baking cookies.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews
November 22, 2020
Encore un beau tome ! J'ai adoré retrouver Mona et tous les habitants d'Heartwood. Cette dernière aventure est très touchante, j'ai eu les larmes aux yeux. Une très belle série jeunesse !
January 8, 2024
A bit more peril in this one, but love all the characters so very much! So much so, that we are sad to see the series finish! 😢
August 4, 2019
Je garde une légère frustration sur quelques détails, mais globalement j'ai, encore une fois, été transportée à Heartwood aux côtés de son personnel et de ses pensionnaires.
Mon avis complet : https://bloggalleane.blogspot.com/201...
Mon avis complet : https://bloggalleane.blogspot.com/201...
September 22, 2021
Mona receives an unexpected visitor at the Heartwood Hotel, and she will learn a little more about her parents.
Spoiler: not everything is good in the forest, during the summer many animals will see their home destroyed. This was very sad for me because it happens every year in the world.
Spoiler: not everything is good in the forest, during the summer many animals will see their home destroyed. This was very sad for me because it happens every year in the world.
December 2, 2023
A perfect ending to this sweet series. My kids and I LOVED reading along with the adventures of Mona and the Heartwood Hotel.
January 10, 2023
A good ending to the series. My kids enjoyed it.
April 22, 2020
Heartwood Hotel: Home Again by Kallie George is the conclusion of the series. Mrs. Prickles is getting married to Mr. Quillson but their festivities at the hotel are cut short by an approaching forest fire. It's best to evacuate before lives are lost. Will the tree be there after the fire?
Before needing to evacuate, Mona meets a mouse from a neighboring hotel who might be her aunt. She certainly knows about Mona's parents in ways that Mona herself can't recall. Mona decides to with the mouse to the Inn Between, figuring she might be family.
FF6699 - orphan home labyrinth
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2020/comm...
Before needing to evacuate, Mona meets a mouse from a neighboring hotel who might be her aunt. She certainly knows about Mona's parents in ways that Mona herself can't recall. Mona decides to with the mouse to the Inn Between, figuring she might be family.
FF6699 - orphan home labyrinth
http://pussreboots.com/blog/2020/comm...
December 1, 2019
Wie immer eine gute Geschichte, diesmal geht es grob um "was eine Familie ausmacht, definiert das Herz"
July 24, 2024
A sweet ending to a series. I love the idea that people and community are where we find our grounding, not places and family lines. I can’t help but feel that this is a bit of an Americanized approach tho that pushes to disregard family ties. I think it’s both, in most cases, loving the family you were born into and then knowing that if for whatever reason you can’t be tied to them, that we are surrounded by others who can give us the sense of belonging that we need.
July 6, 2018
This is such a sweet, sweet series. My daughter is an animal lover, so these are fun books to feed her growing interest in reading. Thanks to Disney for sending us a copy in exchange for an honest review, it's been a treat to enjoy this newest release in the series. So nice to see books focusing on sweet, fun, and kind characters!
August 28, 2021
These have been the most delightful read-aloud experience for us! We are all sad for the quartet to end and the kids have begged me to request every other book Kallie George has written. The themes of friendship, found family, and bravery are strong, the characters are memorable and lovely, and the adventure elements aren't too much for my sensitive kids. We read each one in just a few sittings because each chapter leaves us hanging. Highly recommend these!
January 10, 2024
Last book of the 4 book series! My niece recommended me to read it. Although its a tween chapter book, it has an adorable story line and cutie characters! Heartwarming, little hidden life lessons, great read!
February 2, 2021
My children and I really enjoyed this series. We liked the characters, setting, and plot. Recommend for people 4 & up!
October 27, 2023
Finished reading the 4 book series with Henry and Finn! If you are looking for a wholesome and heartwarming series for your kids to read or to read with them, I highly recommend it! FIVE STARS! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 27, 2021
What a beautiful ending to an adorable and lovable series!
This review was originally shared on Lazy Day Literature.
Summer is in full swing and the Heartwood is all abustle over a wedding when news travels by way of hummingbird that a fire has started in the forest. Meanwhile, a mysterious mouse named Strawberry from a nearby inn has a secret to share with Mona, and Mona hopes to gain the family she always wanted, but the fire rages on, threatening all that she holds dear.
This is a fantastic ending to what has become one of our top favorite children's book series!
The Heartwood Hotel series is full of lovable anthropomorphic characters that work in the grand Heartwood Hotel, a safe haven in an old oak that is run by a badger named Mr. Heartwood and tucked into the relative safety of Fernwood Forest. Mona the mouse is orphaned in a storm and finds herself washed downstream where she is taken in by Mr. Heartwood and given a job as a maid, makes great friends, and becomes a brave little hero of a mouse.
This series is a quartet with each book taking place in one of the four seasons, starting in Autumn and ending in Summer. All four books kept us engaged and rooting for Mona in all her endeavors to fit in and save the hotel from various dangers. There's just enough plot to keep readers engaged but these books are also quite gentle reads and perfect for little listeners that love animals.
This review was originally shared on Lazy Day Literature.
Summer is in full swing and the Heartwood is all abustle over a wedding when news travels by way of hummingbird that a fire has started in the forest. Meanwhile, a mysterious mouse named Strawberry from a nearby inn has a secret to share with Mona, and Mona hopes to gain the family she always wanted, but the fire rages on, threatening all that she holds dear.
This is a fantastic ending to what has become one of our top favorite children's book series!
The Heartwood Hotel series is full of lovable anthropomorphic characters that work in the grand Heartwood Hotel, a safe haven in an old oak that is run by a badger named Mr. Heartwood and tucked into the relative safety of Fernwood Forest. Mona the mouse is orphaned in a storm and finds herself washed downstream where she is taken in by Mr. Heartwood and given a job as a maid, makes great friends, and becomes a brave little hero of a mouse.
This series is a quartet with each book taking place in one of the four seasons, starting in Autumn and ending in Summer. All four books kept us engaged and rooting for Mona in all her endeavors to fit in and save the hotel from various dangers. There's just enough plot to keep readers engaged but these books are also quite gentle reads and perfect for little listeners that love animals.
July 10, 2023
My kids loved this series- super sweet read aloud series for multiple age ranges.
March 11, 2023
If only there were more of these...
January 2, 2020
I was really sad to get to the end of this series. My 3 (and then 4) year old really enjoyed them as bedtime stories, especially when he was sick. They are charmingly pastoral, and have relatively age-appropriate conflict (namely, the only characters that actually ever have ill-intentions are literal predators, and even those aren't always antagonizing).
September 8, 2023
This was just a delightful series to read with my 6 year old son. We really enjoyed all 4.
May 26, 2021
My 6 year old son and I have absolutely loved the Heartwood Hotel series as a read aloud. The series uses small animals to portray friendship, loyalty, bravery, losing family members, changing friendship dynamics, hard work, caring for others, and more. It's a beautifully written story for young children (and adults!). I was never bored or yawning like can happen with some other books written for young children. This was engaging and applicable for all ages.
Note on Home Again: There is quite a bit of suspense in book 4 that is not found in the first three books, that had my sweetly sensitive son on the edge of his seat with a worried expression; but he never asked me to stop reading, like he has done with a few other "scary" books. So I'm going to say that even the suspense in this book is well handled by young, sensitive children.
Note on Home Again: There is quite a bit of suspense in book 4 that is not found in the first three books, that had my sweetly sensitive son on the edge of his seat with a worried expression; but he never asked me to stop reading, like he has done with a few other "scary" books. So I'm going to say that even the suspense in this book is well handled by young, sensitive children.
November 28, 2023
In this series, the plots are overly simple while going out of their way to remain mysterious. The writing tries to make up for this by being overly sentimental. (And by the way, the whole premise of the book doesn't make sense. Where do the animals who stay at the hotels get their currency?)
I should add, however, that mine is the minority opinion in my home. My 8, 6, and 3 year old girls love these books with a confusing passion. And so if you know a sentimental girl WHO WILL READ TO HER OWN SIBLINGS, this might be a series for you.
I should add, however, that mine is the minority opinion in my home. My 8, 6, and 3 year old girls love these books with a confusing passion. And so if you know a sentimental girl WHO WILL READ TO HER OWN SIBLINGS, this might be a series for you.
April 18, 2023
Summer has arrived at the Heartwood Hotel, and with it comes Ms. Prickles' and Mr. Quillson's wedding, along with Strawberry the mouse, who might know Mona's mom? But then life gets stormy (literally), and fire threatens the Heartwood Hotel. Can Mona and her friends save their home?
I'm so sad to see this series end, but it ended so sweetly! Even while danger persists, the love of the Heartwood Hotel residents shines through.
I'm so sad to see this series end, but it ended so sweetly! Even while danger persists, the love of the Heartwood Hotel residents shines through.
May 30, 2023
Quel plaisir que de retrouver Mona et tous les personnages qui font vivre l'Hôtel Heartwood !!! Autant j'avais envie de lire ce dernier tome pour me plonger à nouveau dans cette ambiance toute douce, autant j'avais envie d'en retarder la lecture car je n'avais pas envie que ça se termine ! Ce fût encore une aventure mouvementée pour Mona et de nouveau une histoire pleine de tendresse et d'amitié ! Haaa, qu'est-ce que cette bulle de douceur va me manquer !!!
May 12, 2024
Not our favorite in the series, for a variety of reasons - and the kids were disappointed by the vagueness in the ending...
It was also much darker than the previous books, and the resolution wasn't nearly as happy as the sad parts were sad. (Mona also kind of drove me nuts in this one with her unchecked savior complex haha)
Both the kids and I were really disappointed at how the series ended. We still enjoyed moments in the rest of the books, but really the first one was the shining jewel.
It was also much darker than the previous books, and the resolution wasn't nearly as happy as the sad parts were sad. (Mona also kind of drove me nuts in this one with her unchecked savior complex haha)
Both the kids and I were really disappointed at how the series ended. We still enjoyed moments in the rest of the books, but really the first one was the shining jewel.
November 30, 2020
Juvenile Fantasy. Last book in the Heartwood series. A busy Summer at the Heartwood Hotel starts with porcupine wedding. A mysterious mouse from the In between Inn visits the hotel and Mona wonders if she could be a relative. After the joyous occasion, a fire threatens the forest and all the creatures that live there. Enjoyable sweet series. Recommend Grade 3 to 5.
August 30, 2021
Excellent story for young or old.
The Heart wood Hotel series is an engaging series of stories to enjoy with your children and grandchildren. The lessons taught make your heart sing and yearn to be part of this animal family. So much fun they make you smile all the way through. I highly recommend these books to anyone no matter how old you are.
The Heart wood Hotel series is an engaging series of stories to enjoy with your children and grandchildren. The lessons taught make your heart sing and yearn to be part of this animal family. So much fun they make you smile all the way through. I highly recommend these books to anyone no matter how old you are.
December 27, 2021
We are sadden this series has already come to an end, but it was quick paced just like the others. It was a bit intense with the story theme (ages 8 and under), but we were quite relieved everyone was safe and well. I imagine we'll be reading through this series again in the new year. If your children enjoy animals and a community atmosphere, give this a try! I'm sure you'll love it to!!
July 25, 2023
A cute series and I enjoyed that it follows the 4 seasons across 1 year. Great for early elementary readers through 5/6th grade. The illustrations are cute and the story has light peril and themes of belonging, doing the right thing, helping others, and adoption/chosen family.
Read aloud recommendation: Ages 6+
Independent reading: Ages 7/8+
Read aloud recommendation: Ages 6+
Independent reading: Ages 7/8+
October 21, 2023
What an incredible ending for this sweet series. I loved these books and my 7yo was very invested in Mona and her friends as well. Perfect family read aloud for those looking for a sweet, wholesome series.
The only content considerations are that it's about a wildfire and some of the characters (including Mona) are orphans.
The only content considerations are that it's about a wildfire and some of the characters (including Mona) are orphans.
January 26, 2024
Sweet conclusion to this series.
A major forest fire is heading toward the Heartwood and everyone has to leave. Mona goes with a mouse that arrived at the hotel and seems to recognize her. She learns more of her history and also manages to save Mr. Heartwood from the fire.
George wraps up the story lines and offers hope as the Heartwood reopens after the fire.
A major forest fire is heading toward the Heartwood and everyone has to leave. Mona goes with a mouse that arrived at the hotel and seems to recognize her. She learns more of her history and also manages to save Mr. Heartwood from the fire.
George wraps up the story lines and offers hope as the Heartwood reopens after the fire.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 92 reviews