Rolf the Ranger has a lot of problems for a nine-year-old boy. For one thing, he"s ten feet tall and still growing. His size has its advantages, like when he helped out in battle on the Field of Snorre. But mostly his size means people won"t ever understand him. It doesn"t help that he"s so shy, speaking only one-word sentences. Rolf"s search for friends leads him to the little squirrel Rat-a-Task, who speaks to him from the rafters of his bedroom. And then there are the sons and daughters of Erik Blood-Ax, who want nothing more than to restore the old ways even as a new religion threatens to take over the land. They have heard the rumors of young winged girls and ten-foot-tall boys and have concluded that the old Viking gods have returned to Norway after several generations away. But there"s still hope. Because perhaps Rolf will find his friend somewhere in the Tree of the World — Rat-A-Task"s secret destination and the most beautiful place Rolf has ever seen. Sean Dixon"s mesmerizing blend of fantasy, adventure, magic realism, and the timeless theme of the search for friends make this a striking entry in the series.