A True Home

A True Home (2017) is an early chapter book by Canadian author Kallie George. It is the first installment in the five-book Heartwood Hotel series, which follows a year in the life of the hotel’s animal residents. When a storm destroys her home, Mona, a young, orphaned mouse, stumbles upon the Heartwood Hotel, a grand sanctuary for the creatures of Fernwood Forest. Offered a job as a maid, Mona must prove her worth and find her place within the community, all while helping to protect the hotel from outside threats. The novel explores themes of Home as a Place of Belonging, Overcoming Prejudice Through Empathy, and The Courage of the Small and Vulnerable.

Drawing on the literary tradition of anthropomorphic animal fables seen in works like The Wind in the Willows, Frog and Toad, and The Tale of Peter Rabbit, A True Home uses its woodland setting to examine social virtues like community, kindness, and bravery. Kallie George, who holds a master’s degree in children’s literature, is the author of several other acclaimed series for young readers, including The Magical Animal Adoption Agency and Crimson Twill. 

This guide is based on the 2017 Little, Brown and Company edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide contain depictions of bullying, illness, and death.

Plot Summary

Mona the mouse, an orphan who has never had a permanent home, is forced from her hollow stump by a storm. She carries her only family possession, a small walnut-shell suitcase with a heart carved on it. Fleeing the rising water and the threat of wolves, she is swept deep into the forest by a rushing stream and arrives at a majestic, hollow tree with a heart carving on its trunk. When Mona touches the carving, a door swings open, and she steps inside.

Mona finds herself in a warm, luxurious lobby and enters a ballroom filled with well-dressed animal guests celebrating the First Acorn Festival. She meets Gilles, the front-desk lizard, who tells her the hotel is full, and the hotel’s owner, a badger named Mr. Heartwood. Mona pleads for a room, and Mr. Heartwood, noticing the heart on her suitcase, offers her a night’s stay in exchange for helping clean up. Gilles explains that Mr. Heartwood started the hotel as a safe haven after his wife was taken by wolves. 

In the kitchen, Mona meets the kind porcupine cook, Ms. Prickles, and the grumpy red squirrel maid, Tilly. Tilly is immediately critical of Mona, calling her too small and messy to be of any help. Mona works through the night cleaning the ballroom under Tilly’s demanding supervision. Despite the difficult work, Mona is enchanted by the hotel’s wonders. She sleeps on a spare bed of feathers in Tilly’s room, the most comfortable she has ever had.

The next morning at the staff breakfast, Mona reveals she is an orphan whose home was washed away. Mr. Heartwood, noting that the housekeeper, the hedgehog Mrs. Higgins, is sick and they are understaffed for the busy season, offers Mona a job for the fall. Mona joyfully accepts, pledging her paw to the hotel.

Tilly reluctantly gives Mona a tour, explaining the hotel’s layout and rules, including one against speaking to guests unless spoken to first. On the stargazing balcony, Mona sees a sad swallow, Miss Cybele, whose wing is in a sling. Mrs. Higgins interrupts their tour and announces that two skunk guests, Lord and Lady Sudsbury, have arrived weeks earlier than expected.

Tilly and Mona prepare the honeymoon suite for the Sudsburys, who have a list of special requests. Mona fetches a skunk cabbage flower from the gardener, Mr. Higgins, who gives her a sprig of peppermint and advises her not to let Tilly’s difficult nature bother her. Tilly leaves Mona to finish cleaning the tub alone just as the Sudsburys arrive. Mona hides in the tub, but the anxious Lord Sudsbury is startled by her and sprays. To prevent the Sudsburys from being asked to leave, Mona uses the peppermint from Mr. Higgins to mask the odor, earning their gratitude.

As the days pass, Mona settles into her work, though Tilly remains unfriendly. Ms. Prickles hints to Mona that Tilly has a painful past. Mona continues to be a helpful presence at the hotel and befriends the lonely Miss Cybele, who entertains Mona with her songs. Tilly tries to get Mona in trouble for socializing with the guests, but instead of being angry, Mr. Heartwood is charmed by Cybele’s song about the hotel. He waives Cybele’s fee and upgrades her room in exchange for singing for the guests, which she happily accepts.

On another day, a bear appears just outside the hotel, sending the staff and guests into a panic. Ignoring Tilly’s warnings, Mona goes outside and learns that the old bear, Brumble, is lost and confused and was driven from his usual den by the din of howling wolves. She guides him back to his childhood den, a large hollow tree, and before falling asleep, Brumble tells her to call on him if she ever needs help. Mona returns, intending to warn Mr. Heartwood about the wolves, but Tilly stops her, insisting she follow the rules and return to work.

As the hotel prepares for the First Snow Festival, Gilles asks Mona to watch the front desk. A June bug named Ms. J arrives seeking a room. Unaware of the hotel’s “Six-Legged Rule,” a ban on bug guests created out of a misguided fear they might get stepped on, Mona checks Ms. J into the vacant penthouse suite. When Gilles returns, he is furious. In the kitchen, Tilly tells Mona she will be fired and should leave immediately. Hurt and angry, Mona confronts Tilly for being mean, then packs her suitcase and leaves the Heartwood.

Alone in the cold forest, Mona takes shelter in a hollow log where she overhears a pack of wolves. Their leader, Gnarl, discusses their plan to attack the hotel. They have been searching for it and are waiting for the First Snow Festival lanterns to be lit, which will guide them to their target. After the wolves fall asleep, Mona creeps away and races back to the hotel.

Mona bursts into the staff breakfast with her warning. Mr. Heartwood, angry that she broke her pledge by leaving without any notice, is initially skeptical. Tilly stands up and confesses that she tricked Mona into leaving out of jealousy and fear of being replaced. She insists they believe Mona’s warning of the wolves’ impending attack. Convinced of the danger, Mr. Heartwood cancels the festival to avoid attracting the wolves with lights or smells.

The guests are upset about the cancellation until Mona proposes a plan to create a hoax. The staff and several brave guests decorate Brumble’s tree with lanterns to lure the wolves there. Mona wakes Brumble, who agrees to help in exchange for a honeycomb in the spring. Mona lights the lanterns on his tree, but as the wolves approach, a gust of wind blows most of them out and draws the hiding animals’ scent to the wolves. Seeing a few lanterns still lit on the far side of the tree, Mona runs from the bushes, leading the wolves to chase her around the tree and see the lit side, before diving into the den. As the wolves prepare to enter what they believe is the Heartwood Hotel, Brumble emerges with a ferocious roar, causing the entire pack to flee the forest.

The hotel holds a celebratory First Snow Festival party. Mr. Heartwood reveals that he believes Mona’s parents, Madeline and Timothy, stayed at the hotel long ago and convinced him to name the hotel after himself, creating the Heartwood Hotel. Timothy had carved the hearts decorating the hotel and Mona’s suitcase. Mr. Heartwood officially makes Mona a permanent staff member by giving her a key. Ms. J reveals she is a reviewer for the Pinecone Press and will give the hotel a top rating. Mona finds Tilly on the stargazing balcony, where Tilly confesses that ever since a coyote killed her family, she has been afraid of losing her home and feared Mona would replace her at the hotel. Mona and Tilly reconcile, acknowledging they are now family. As it begins to snow, Mona realizes she has finally found a true home.