Catching Fire- Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins returns to the (electronic) pages of Anbaric Lights with Catching Fire, the sequel to her best seller The Hunger Games, and book two of an eventual trilogy. As I said in my previous review (see link above, I do so love tooting my own horn!), the subject matter and themes brought forth in this series are a little mature for my usual target audience. I recommend this series highly, but due to some of the content, I think it's mainly appropriate for middle schoolers and beyond.

In order to effectively review Catching Fire, I'll have to release some mild spoilers concerning The Hunger Games, so if you have not read book one of the series, then read on at your own peril...

Catching Fire returns the reader to the distopian future created by Collins in The Hunger Games. The United States is no more. Instead, the brutal government of the Capital (Pelem) rules oppressively and totally over 12 separate and distinct districts. Each district is responsible for one product: coal, fish, lumber, electronics, etc..., and each district is kept in total isolation from the other. "Peacekeepers," soldiers from the capital, make sure that the residents of each district stay in line.

75 years ago, an uprising by the districts was brutally crushed by the capital (including the total annihilation of District 13), and as a consequence the Hunger Games were created. In these games, once a year each district sends both a male and a female tribute to the games. The tributes are then forced to kill each other off until only one is left. These games are designed to subjugate and humiliate the Districts, and to remind them of their subservience to the capital.

For the first time ever, there were two champions in the events of The Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, both from District 12, were declared co-winners after manufacturing a tragic love story for themselves. Of course, this romance is only a fabrication for Katniss, Peeta is truly, deeply, and hopelessly in love with her. Since this lie spared their lives, they are forced to continue living it as they attempt to return to their former lives.

They find themselves celebrities on a whirlwind tour of the districts, but Katniss has intentionally become a symbol of revolution throughout the districts. As the games have always had only a single winner, any deviation is a slight to the power and influence of the capital.

Her Mockingjay (a kind of bird) pin has become the symbol for all of those who hope to end the oppression of the capital once and for all. Of course those in control, lead by the deliciously evil and malevolent President Snow will not go down easily. Uprisings are suppressed with violence, and the capital has sinister plans in store for not only Katniss and Peeta, but also for all former Hunger Games champions as the 75th anniversary of the games draws nearer.

Katniss and Peeta must work desperately to maintain the illusion of their love (Katniss is torn between Peeta and Gale, her friend from back in District 12) in order to protect their friends and family from the wrath of the government, but as the ministrations of the capital grow ever more ruthless, the sparks of revolution glow ever brighter and the reader finally gets the sense of where the title of the book comes from.

Will Katniss and Peeta be able to protect there loved ones? Will unrest blossom into full on revolution? What cruel tricks await the participants of the 75th annual Hunger Games? Gentle reader, you'll just have to read Catching Fire to find out.

Suzanne Collins Official Site

The Last Olynpian- Rick Riordan

With The Last Olympian, Rick Riordan completes his thrilling and exciting "Percy and the Olympians" saga. Over the course of four previous volumes, (The Lightning Thief, Sea of Monsters, The Titan's Curse, and the Battle of the Labyrinth) Riordan has introduced readers to a fully realized world that seamlessly incorporates Greek mythology with modern adolescence.

Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon, is a "half-blood," an individual with one mortal and one immortal parent. Appropriately enough, since the age of 12, he has been trained in the ways of hero-ing at Camp Half Blood. His instructor is the legendary centaur Chiron, instructor to less a hero than the legendary Achilles of "The Iliad" and Trojan War fame. Together with his friend Annabeth (a daughter of Athena), and the Satyr Grover, Percy has worked to stop the return of Kronos, lord of the Titans, father of the Olympic Gods, and disembodied and imprisoned in Tartarus since the dawn of time.

In The Last Olympian, Percy must unravel one last prophecy (the mummified, disembodied spirit of the Oracle of Delphi reveals a prophecy to one half-blood in each volume of the series.) in order to confront Kronos who by now has obtained a physical form by possessing another half blood.

A half-blood of the eldest gods-

shall reach sixteen against all odds

And see the world in endless sleep

The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap

A single choice shall end his days

Olympus to preserve or raze

Along the way to the final showdown with Kronos and his army of titans, traitor half-bloods, and monsters, Percy travels to the underworld, takes a dip in the river Styx (ask Achilles how well that one works out), practices his driving, his his first (sort of) kiss, visits his father's palace at the bottom of the ocean, learns the intricacies of the prophecy, and confronts his final destiny.

The battle of New York (Mt. Olympus is located on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building as it has migrated following the focal point of western civilization over the years) is well paced, exciting, and dangerous. The threats are very real, and there are casualties on both sides. Riordan knows how to raise the stakes for this last volume of the series. Statues come alive, time gets stopped, bridges and tunnels are destroyed, and both the East and Hudson rivers team up to defend the island of Manhattan.

Overall, I was sad to see Percy's adventures come to an end, although fans take heart, the book ends with a new prophecy, and his afterword, Riordan refers to the end of the current series, thus hinting that further advantures (if not of Percy, then at least set in the Camp Half Blood universe) might lie in store. I was very pleased with Riordan's interpretation of Greek mythology throughout the series, and if the cool-yet-considerably-shorter-than-me people that I hang out with on a regular basis are any indication, then the author has spurred interest in these gods, monsters, and heroes for an entire new generation.

My one dislike about this volume is the depiction of the Titan Prometheus. His story (stole fire to give to humans, and was punished by Zeuss for all eternity as a consequence) is one of my personal favorites, and I didn't appreciate him being portrayed as a slimy, smarmy wheeler-dealer wearing a tuxedo and sunglasses. Can't win them all, though...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows- JK Rowling

Today's review comes courtesy of a returning favorite of Anbaric Lights', the incomparable Book Monster. She's tackled a subject bittersweet in my heart, the final volume of the Harry Potter series. Bitter because it ends the adventures of everyone's favorite teenaged wizard, and sweet because, MAN! What a finish!

When I first finished the Deathly Hallows, I found myself depressed and sad that I would have no more exposure to Harry's world. For those of you feeling likewise, I recommend the movie versions (almost all great, see my review of The Half-Blood Prince here) or the audiobooks narrated by Jim Dale.

Warning, plot spoilers are present in this review. Do not read on unless you have read the first six volumes of the series. Now, without further ado, take it away Bookmonster!

-SirReadsalot

Harry Potter Seven is not like all the other Harry Potter books because there are many more deaths and very little of the book takes place at Hogwarts because Harry, Ron, and Hermione must carry on with Dumbledore’s quest to destroy Voldemort’s horcruxes since he has died. Instead of Voldemort trying to take over, he already has gained power and Harry and his friends are trying to take it back. I do not like this book as much as the others in the Harry Potter series because Harry does not go to school and I really liked Hogwarts. I also found the many deaths made the book much more depressing than the others. This book will finally reveal if Snape’s intentions are good or bad. I think that wearing the horcrux, an object carrying part of someone’s soul, while searching for what would destroy it was a very unwise choice of Harry’s. It was clever of J.K. Rowling to create horcruxes because it made the book more than just Harry and his friends attempting to kill Voldemort. The deathly hallows, another great concept of J.K. Rowling’s, led Harry, Ron, and Hermione off track to find the objects that might let someone conquer death and gave them more to do than just hunt for horcruxes. If you like adventure, magic, and are willing to read long books, then this is a book for you. I am very intrigued that the movie is going to be in two parts and hope it will make them more detailed.

A note from Sir Readsalot: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 is scheduled to be released in November 0f 2010, with part 2 to follow in July of 2011.

JK Rowling Official Site

Coraline Redux- Harry Selsnick

Just a small one today. I've made no secret of my fawning admiration for the work of Neil Gaiman, and I've even reviewed the film adaptation of his book Coraline on this blog. I thought that today, on a slow news day, I'd do a quick update urging anyone who hasn't to see this film, and for those of you to have, to see this film again. It came out on DVD and Blue Ray on July 21st, and I just wanted to take this opportunity to urge as many people as possible to see this movie.

The DVD comes with four sets of 3D glasses so you, the home viewer, can take in all of the visual magic that Selsnick crams into his narrative. The film has has its scarier moments (the "Other Mother" is admitedly horrifying and evil), but overall the visuals and the story come across as stunning and adventurous, and Coraline is a hero that we can all relate to. If you didn't before, I highly recommend you take the opportunity to check Coraline out, and if you've seen the film, then, take it from someone who already has, it is definitely a worthy addition to the home library. Seriously, gentle reader, Coraline stands alone, not just as a great film adaptation of a great book, but as a great film.

But Did You Read It First?- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Welcome back to "But Did You Read It First?"- Anbaric Lights' quasi-regular (I might have to come up with another prefix that means even less often than quasi as there has been only one previous entry in the series, a review of Coraline from last February) column dealing with film adaptations of children's literature.

Wow, the entire preceding paragraph was one (admittedly parenthetically-enhanced) sentence. The fact that I occasionally get paid to teach tiny people to write boggles the mind. But that is neither her nor there. I'm already two paragraphs into the review and I haven't even mentioned the film yet. I really need to work on my meandering and often disorienting introductions to these reviews...

Before we go any farther, there are some assumptions. I assume that you are familiar with the Harryverse (Harry Potter Universe). I will not go into detail about describing the characters, and mild spoilers from previous entries in the series may be revealed. If you are not familiar with the events leading up to The Half Blood Prince (the sixth book and movie of the series), then you may not want to read any further.

Still with me? Good, let's have at it!

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint all return as Harry, Hermione, and Ron respectively. The rest of the cast is also back to in roles of varying sizes. The only new major addition to the series is Jim Broadbent as Professor Slughorn, the sixth Defense Against the Dark Arts professor the students have had in six years. David Yates (director of the previous installment, The Order of the Phoenix, and the forthcoming two movie adaptation of Book 7, The Deathly Hallows) returns as director.

The story should be relatively familiar with anyone still reading this post at this point. Harry has returned to Hogwarts for another year. Voldemort is back and Harry and Dumbledore are using the pensieve to investigate his childhood and career at Hogwarts. They realize that he has accomplished extraordinarily dark magic, through acts of murder he has divided and stored his soul in an object called a horcrux. Thus, even if the body is destroyed (as Vodermort's was the night he tried to kill Harry as a baby), the soul lives on and one is never really dead. The Half Blood Prince and The Deathly Hallows both focus on the attempts of Harry and his allies to locate and destroy these horcruxes. There are seven in all, and it is revealed that Tom Riddle's diary from The Chamber of Secrets was a horcrux. Dumbledore also destroyed one (a ring that once belonged to Voldemort's grandfather), but injured his hand severely in the attempt.

Throughout the film, Harry is using a potions textbook that belongs to "The Half-Blood Prince," and as a result of the wisdom therein, he is rising to the top of his potions class. He even learns a septum severus spell that has unintended and deadly consequences in one scene in the film.

Ron and Hermione become involved in a love triangle with Lavender Brown, and it's refreshing to see that despite the gloom and doom of Voldemort's return, that the characters are still teenagers dealing with the same things that teenagers everywhere, magical or otherwise, deal with. Harry gets a romance of his own when his relationship with Ginny blossoms into something more than just friendship.

Draco Malfoy has been tasked by Voldemort with a deadly serious task. He is shown throughout the movie becoming increasingly drawn and desperate as he tries to maneuver his plan into place. Tom Felton, who hasn't had much to do with Draco in the previous films other than to sneer and serve as an obvious foil to Harry, does a solid job depicting Draco as a boy who may have bit off just a bit more than he can chew.

Throughout the tension and danger that Harry and his friends must deal with (Deatheater attacks! Fenrir Greyback! Curses, Hexes, and poisons!) is nicely balanced with humor (love potions, a eulogy for Aragog, Slughorn's habit of "collecting" promising students), and Yates and company set the stage for the final confrontation with Voldermort in The Deathly Hallows.

SERIOUS SPOILERS TO FOLLOW
DO NOT READ ON UNLESS YOU HAVE EITHER
SEEN THE FILM OR READ THE BOOK

My one main complaint is the film's climax. The battle at Hogwarts depicted in the book is violent, chaotic, and terrifying. Snape's apparent betrayal and murder of Dumbledore hits like a punch in the gut. This scene in the movie occurs as almost an afterthought, and as much as I love Alan Rickman's portrayal of Snape, he seemed to be far to obvious in his role in Dumbledore's death. I know Yates had to cut some of the book down in order to make it movie length (it still runs a good 2.5 hours!), but I do feel that these last scenes were where I felt the missing material most. I hope The Deathly Hallows begins with Dumbledore's Funeral, because that scene is beautiful and heartbreaking, and deserves to be shown.

All in all, it was yet another solid and dependable HP adaptation, and I am very excited to see the conclusion. Part I will be released in 2010, and Part II in 2011.

What did you think of the movie gentle reader(s)?

The 39 Clues Book 2: One False Note- Gordon Korman

I found the first 39 Clues book, The Maze of Bones, to be a pleasant surprise by the end of its opening chapters, and decided to pursue the series further with book 2, One False Note. This book, written by Gordon Korman, picks up immediately after Rick Riordan's Maze of Bones left off. (Apparently each volume of this series will be penned by a different author.)

Dan and Amy Cahill, grandchildren of the recently deceased Grace Cahill, are embroiled in a worldwide scavenger hunt for the "39 Clues." They are competing against other members of the enormous extended Cahill clan, a family that has included some of the most powerful people throughout history. The ultimate prize is not stated, but it is intimated that it includes wealth and power beyond imagining, the power to shape and change the entire world. Suffice to say, all of the competitors are incredibly motivated, cunning, and ruthless. Intrigue, alliances, and double crosses abound.

Mild Maze of Bones plot spoilers are contained in the subsequent paragraph.

Book 1 highlights their relationship with Benjamin Franklin and has Dan and Amy traveling from Boston, to Franklin's old stomping grounds in Philadelphia, to Paris, where Franklin was treated like an 18th century rock star by the adoring French. By the end of Book 1, Dan and Amy have found the first clue and are headed off to Vienna, Austria to investigate the life of yet another one of their famous, distant cousins, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

One False Note opens with Dan, Amy, their au pair (never call her a babysitter within the range of Dan's hearing) Nellie Gomez, and their finicky cat Saladin are on the train from Paris to Vienna. They are trying to stay ahead of their many competitors: The psychotic, quasimilitary family the Holts, former KGB spy Irina Spasky, Natalie and Ian Kabra, rich, brilliant and deadly, Jonah Wizard, teenage hiphop star, actor, and all around megacelebrity, and Allistair Oh, who is down on his luck after making a fortune inventing the microwave burrito.

The Cahills, arrive in Vienna (after a harrowing runin with the Holts on the train) only to find Jonah Wizard, under the auspices of an European press junket for his new TV show, Who Wants to Be a Gangsta?, a step ahead of them. After a thrilling heist in Vienna, they are soon on their way to Salzburg, Mozart's childhood home. Soon after that they are on their way to Venice, one of the stops on Mozart's 1770 European tour.

In Venice they stumble upon the stronghold of the Janus Branch of the Cahills. Notable Janus Cahills throughout history in addition to Mozart have included Walt Disney, Beethoven, Mark Twain, Elvis, Charlie Chaplin, Dr. Seuss, and Snoop Dog. They are the branch of artists, musicians, authors, and other creative people. Jonah Wizard, actor and musician, is a Janus, and it is revealed that his mother is a very high ranking official within their organization. Book 1 introduced us to the Lucian stronghold in Paris. They were the great political and military leaders throughout history. Presumably, later volumes will introduce us to the two other Cahill branches: Tomas, and Eskartina. When you register at the website, you can take a short quiz and determine what branch you belong to. I'm an Eskartina.

After fleeing the Janus compound (suffice to say their infiltration of it does not go unnoticed or appreciated) with vital information from Mozart's sister's diary, Dan and Amy lead a merry boat chase through the canals of Venice before trying to find the next clue. Somehow, they escape the Janus', only to run afoul of Ian and Natalie Kabras. Will Dan and Amy be able to outsmart the two of them in order to find the second clue? I'm sure you have a pretty good idea about the answer, but you'll need to read on to find the answer.

Overall, I found the book to be sufficiently thrilling in its own right (the search for the second clue), but it did little to advance the overall mystery of the series. I guess if there is going to be a book for each clue, then the authors can afford to let the reader in on the bigger secrets veeeeeeery gradually, but it can be a bit frustrating. Who or what are the Madrigals? What's the deal with the Man in Black? Can Mr. McIntyre be trusted? All of these questions are raised in the book, but frustratingly little is revealed. I guess if you really want to know, you'll need to read book 3, The Sword Thief. Although I did not enjoy this book as much as The Maze of Bones, I guess I'm going to have to stick with the series. At least until they find the Eskartina stronghold. What do you think gentle reader(s)? Is the series worth pursuing? Can anyone be expected to commit to 39 books in a series? Let me know in your comments.

The Battle of the Labyrinth- Rick Riordan

The Battle of the Labyrinth is the fourth book in Rick Riordan's five volume "Percy and the Olympians" series. For those of you unfamiliar with the underlying premise: here's a quick recap: everything from Greek mythology is real. Gods, monsters, demons, and heroes exist both beyond and along the realms of mortal comprehension (Riordan describes them as being obscured by a magical mist). Among these mythological beings there exist "half-bloods," children born of one mortal and one immortal parent. Hercules (son of Zeus and a mortal mother is one famous example) and they are trained for various heroic quests at the appropriately-named "Camp Half Blood."

The series follows the adventures of Percy Jackson, the son of Poseidon and a mortal mother as he struggles to learn his place in the worlds of the everyday and the mythological. Over time, Mount Olympus has followed the center of western civilization and currently resides on the 600th floor of the Empire State Building. In fact, one of the most enjoyable things about the series is seeing how Riordan is able to update various mythological elements for the modern world, and how he is able to explain their presence.

As it turns out, Kronos (leader of the Titans, the original group of Greek gods and father to Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. Zeus eventually lead an uprising against his father and the other Titans, and cast him forever into the pit of Tartarus.) is reforming and hoping to wage war on the Olympian gods. He is pure evil and driven by his urge for revenge. The mythological world is fast being divided among the two (Titan and Olympian) camps. Percy and his fellow campers (Annabeth, a daughter of Athena, Grover, a satyr, among others) must go an varying quests in order to foil Kronos's plans.

Book 4, The Battle of the Labyrinth, involves Kronos' plot to invade Camp Half Blood by circumventing the magical defenses by sneaking in through the mythical labyrinth of Crete. That's right, that maze, created by Deadelus, home of the Minotaur, still exists and has been evolving and growing in the centuries since its inception centuries ago. It is filled with monsters, dead ends, traps, riddles, and other obstacles designed to kill, bewilder, or entrap all who enter it. There are entrances and exits all over the world, including one within the borders of Camp Half Blood.

The forces of Kronos are lead by Luke Castellan, a half-blood son of Hermes, who has betrayed the Olympians (he hates his father) for the Titan's cause. Percy, Annabeth, Grover and his half-brother Tyson, (a kindly, clever cyclops) must enter the Labyrinth themselves in order to find the workshop of Daedalus. They must reach him before Luke and his forces do, or else the route through the labyrinth and the key to the invasion of Camp Half Blood will be revealed.

Along the way they must deal with Kampe, a monster from the first Titan-Olympian war, the forges of Hephaestus (located beneath Mt. Saint Helens), Janus (the two faced god of doorways, beginnings and endings), the fields of Geryon, the disappearance of Pan, hellhounds, and a burgeoning love triangle in between Percy, Annabeth, and a mortal girl named Rachel who is capable of seeing through the mists and is instrumental to the successful navigation of the labyrinth.

The eventual battle itself is somewhat anticlimactic, once it finally occurs, but that is a minor quibble in this thrilling volume of one of my favorite ongoing series.

Book 5, The Last Olympian, is out now and concludes Percy's saga. I might have to break my paperbacks-only rule and pick up a copy to see how the story ends. Will Kronos finally triumph? If he is defeated (and let's face it, he probably will be), then what will be the cost? Who will survive the final confrontation between the Titans and the Olympians.

"Percy and the Olympians" official site.

Congratulations Anbaric Lights!

July 11th will mark the one year anniversary of Anbaric Light's inaugural post, a review of Book 1 of John Flanagan's "Ranger's Apprentice" series, The Ruins of Gorlan. In the months since, we've reviewed 26 different books, 17 by me, and 9 by special guest bloggers.

What began as a grad school project has taken on a life of its own thanks to a small, yet dedicated cadre of faithful readers, commentors, and bloggers. In the months to come I would love to expand the scope of Anbaric Lights, and hopefully attract submissions from a broader circle of readers and writers.

Here are some fun books on my to-be-read shelf that I hope to have reviews for in the coming weeks:

Hope to have a Sea of Monsters (Book 2) review up soon, but I love me some "Percy and the Olympians."

From the author of American Born Chinese.

Book 2, See my review of The Maze of Bones (Book 1) here.

Note to the intrepid reader: I like to wait for the paperbacks, so I'm usually one volume behind in popular series, or a year behind the release of popular titles. If I am reviewing a current hardcover, then it almost certainly came from the library, or was purchased with a gift card.

Thanks to everyone who has visited the site, commented, or submitted blogs over the last year! Keep reading and let's do what we can to continue to spread the word about awesome children's literature!

-Sir Readsalot

P.S.- Let's also try to broaden our scope to include nonfiction, other mediums (especially the graphic novel), and genres beyond adventure, mystery, and fantasy.

The Battle for Skandia- John Flanagan

I know, I know, I started this blog railing against the plague of series books ravaging children's literature in the wake of Harry Potter's success, but if you'll remember I described the "Ranger's Apprentice" series as "a pleasant exception to this dismaying trend." I am enjoying this series immensely, and after reading and thoroughly liking The Burning Bridge (Book 2), and The Icebound Land (Book 3), I turn my attention now to Book 4, The Battle for Skandia.

To recap: The Rangers are a light calvary/ scouting force crucial to the security of the Kingdom of Arulen. They are analogous to our Special Forces today, highly trained in both conventional and unconventional warfare, master tacticians, lightly armed, and incredibly mobile. The series follows the adventures of Will, and his apprenticeship under Master Ranger Halt.

SOME SPOILERS FOLLOW. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ ANY OF THE SERIES AND DO NOT WANT THE PLOTS OF THE FIRST THREE BOOKS REVEALED, THEN YOU SHOULD STOP READING NOW.

In books 1 and 2, they work together to foil the plots of renegade warlord Morgarath. Book 3 details what happens to Will and his friend Evanlyn when they are kidnapped by the northern Skandians (clearly analogs for our Vikings, right down to the apocryphal horned helmets) and the efforts of Halt and Will's friend Horace (an apprentice knight) to rescue them.

The Battle For Skandia opens with the rescue of Will and Evanlyn by Halt and Horace. However, the former have already escaped from slavery (see the events of The Icebound Land), and the latter liberate them, not from the Skandians, but from the Temujai.

Skandia, it seems, is in the process of being invaded by a race of people from "the eastern steppes" known as the Temujai. They are lead by a "Shan" and are dedicated to one thing only: conquest. They are formidable warriors, excellent horsemen, and deadly archers. Halt has had a history with them in their younger days, and even he is afraid of their military might. Given his depiction as a fearless and peerless tactician, the reader really gets a sense of menace from Halt's attitudes toward the Temujai. They are clearly inspired by Mongol hordes from history.

In fact, this is one of my favorite things about the series, it indulges in my history nerd what if fantasies. As I've mentioned, the Skandians are clearly Vikings, the Temujai are Mongols, the Arulens (Halt, Will, Horace and Evanlyn) are European knights, although Flanagan clearly betrays his commonwealth biases with Arulen (an island kingdom) being England while Gallica (France) and Tuetlandt (Germany) being described as comically inept.

Arulen and surrounding environs. Look closely: See anything else that looks familiar?

In The Battle for Skandia we have an excellent Vikings vs. Mongols battle with a little bit of the English longbow thrown in for good measure. The Skandians and the escaped Arulens must put their differences aside in a classic "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" scenario. Flannagan has created a relentless and implacable foe for Will and his comrades to face in this thrilling volume.

I'm looking forward to their continued adventures, and if you feel like you can't wait, all titles through Volume 8 have them have been published already in Flanagan's native Australia. You can try to search for them here.

Ranger's Apprentice Website

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey- Trenton Lee Stewart

The Mysterious Benedict Society was one of my inaugural posts on this site, so it comes as no surprise that I would be eager to review its sequel, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey.

The Perilous Journey picks up about a year after the first book ends. All the members of the society are enjoying considerably better circumstances (Reynie has been adopted by Mrs. Permual and her mother, Constance has been adopted by Mr. Benedict himself, Sticky has been happily reunited with his parents, and Kate is living on a farm outside of Stonetown with her secret agent father, Milligan.), but they haven't seen each other in nearly a year, and are, despite the traumas of their initial adventure together, bored.

A reunion is planned at Kate and Milligan's farm, and Mr. Benedict has arranged a world wide, all expenses paid scavenger hunt as a reward for the society and all of their hard work.

He and his imaginatively nicknamed assistant, Number Two, will travel ahead of the society, leaving the next clue for the kids at varying exotic European locales. Unfortunately, Benedict's nefarious and scheming twin brother, Leodopthra Curtain, rears his ugly head and kidnaps Benedict and Number Two. Now, instead of a luxurious European tour full of fun and challenging clues, the Society is faced with matters of life and death. They must solve each clue in order to find and rescue their beloved benefactor.

What follows is a thrilling, labyrinthine journey from Stonetown, to Lisbon, to Holland, to a mysterious, uncharted island in the North Sea. One very interesting theme that interweaves the entire story has to do with human nature. Are people basically good or basically evil? Mr. Benedict's efforts to get Reynie to trust people and see the good within them reminds me a lot of Dumbledore's espousing of the power of love in the Harry Potter books.

What is Curtain up to? Why has he kidnapped his brother? Will the Society be able to save him in time? Read on to find out.

There will be a third book, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma, due to be published in October 2009. Look for details and other fun facts and information, puzzles and codes at the Curiosity Chronicle, the official website for these books. Very well done and worth your browsing time.

The Talented Clementine- Sarah Pennypacker

Byline- June 18th, 2009

It will be a race between this and The Mysterious Bendedict Society and the Perilous Journey to see which will be the first sequel I review here at Anbaric Lights. I'm currently in the middle of both of them right now, but seeing as MN let me borrow this book MONTHS ago, I feel that I owe it to her to finally finish it and get it back to her.

As you may remember, I reviewed Clementine her a while back, and found that I loved it. Clementine is more than a worthy successor to Beverly Cleary's Ramona (beloved by me as a wee lad) and the book Clementine was consistently laugh out loud funny, a trait all to rare in books these days.

In The Talented Clementine, Clementine returns to confront the daunting prospect of a "Talentpalooza" talent show at her school. Not only does she not think she has any "good" talents (seeing things from fresh angles, making her brother laugh, pruning, ivy, thinking of things-lime jello- to put on toast, and being empathetic, just to name a few, don't count), but her arch nemesis and upstairs neighbor, Margaret has talents (accordion, clarinet, baton twirling, acting, horseback riding, singing, tap dancing, etc...) to spare. Margaret agrees to teach Clementine one of her many talents, and the sequence where Margaret tries to teach Clementine to tap, and the lengths Clementine goes to to create tap shoes of her own might be the funniest chapter I've ever read.

However, one of the previously listed not "good" talents ends up inspiring Clementine to create the Talentpalooza Act to end all Talentpalooza acts. To describe it in any greater detail here would be doing you, the potential reader, a great disservice, but trust me when I write that you will not want to miss what Clementine gets up to at the climax of The Talented Clementine. If you liked the first volume, then you'll love the sequel. Highly recommended.

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street-Jeanne Birdsall

Today's extra special guest blogger is a another returning hero, Ephos Sapphire. They have decided to focus on the sequel to Jeanne Birdsall's delightful tale of summer vacation and adventure, The Penderwicks. Read on to decide if the followup is worth your time...

-Sir Readsalot

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street is a thrilling must-have for everyone. However, you should read the first book: The Penderwicks before you start its follow-up. The plotline is about a hysterically funny family named the Penderwicks who have just gotten back from a family vacation to Arundel in the Berkshires. The four girls are Rosalind, Skye, Jane, and Batty. Rosalind, or Rosy, is a sweet 13 year old who took over for her mother. Skye is a soccer-loving tomboy who hates babies and cats. Jane is a creative writer who is fixated on her book series: Sabrina Starr. Fourth and finally comes Batty (Elizabeth) who is funny and cute. Four and 1/3 years before the book begins, right after the fourth sister, Batty, is born, their mother gets very ill. The doctors are sure she won’t live long. The day before she dies, she writes a letter to her husband. It’s about dating. She feels that he may get lonely. When giving the letter to her sister, Mother tells her to deliver it to him when she feels the time is right. When Batty is almost five, the sister, or Aunt Claire, gives the letter to the father, Martin. While eavesdropping on their father, the four girls hear about the dating. In order to discourage a potential step-mother, they plan terrible dates for their father. These only make him come home mad and muttering Latin swears. Their father seems to have a growing interest with the astrophysicist next door, Iantha. Will Skye outgrow her feelings and learn to like Iantha’s son and cat, Ben and Asimov? Will the sisters end up with a step-mother or will Martin stay single forever? Read this new, hilarious, and compelling book and you will be amazed at how wonderfully Jeanne Birsall spins her words.

Jeanne Birdsall's Website

Scat- Carl Hiaasen

Scat is Carl Hiaasen's third foray into children's fiction after the delightful Hoot, and the unread (at least by me) Flush. Ordinarily he writes adult crime fiction as well as a regular column for the Miami Herald. Very few writers can create a tangible sense of place the way Hiaasen describes the ins and outs, the oddballs, the beauty, and the corruption of his beloved south Florida, and Scat is no exception.

In Scat, Hiassen deftly weaves several seemingly disparate story lines into a compelling mystery that involves (among many other things) an endangered Florida Panther, a missing teacher, a certifiably insane substitute, the redemption of a juvenile delinquent, the Iraq war, crooked oil companies, and the environmental movement. Hiaasen deserves special props for his shout out to Edward Abbey's proto- Earth First! classic The Monkeywrench Gang. (Read it when you're older kiddies.)

Nick and Marta endure the daily tyranny of Bunny Starch's biology class, suffering through pop quizzes and being called on randomly. Mrs. Starch has the reputation of a witch, and it is rumored that her home contains any variety of venomous creatures, which she uses for her own nefarious ends.

Then, on a field trip to Black Vine Swamp, Mrs. Starch disappears during a forest fire. Despite this sudden departure, Nick and Marta continue to see her car around town, and are convinced that there is more to the situation than the "family emergency" that everyone uses to explain her sudden absence.

Throughout their investigations, they run afoul of the local pyromaniac (Duane, but he likes to be called "Smoke"), and a corrupt oil company. Soon their research begins to overlap with an extremely endangered Florida panther, an environmental activist, illegal oil drilling, roadside bombs in Iraq and the politics of an elite private school.

Despite these seemingly disconnected plot elements, Hiaasen does a masterful job of tying everything together. He paints a picture of grassroots environmental action, and never lets the reader forget how one person can make a difference when it comes to protecting the world around us. Highly recommended for mystery fans, lovers of the environment, or connoisseurs of original, offbeat and hilarious characters.

Carl Hiaasen

Stormbreaker- Anthony Horowitz

Today's extra special guest blog comes to us courtesy of Hot Water. He/she is reviewing the James Bond Junioresque adventures of Alex Rider in the popular series by Anthony Horowitz. Synchronize your watches and make sure you've got your pen laser securely hidden before reading on...

Sir Readsalot

Stormbreaker written by Anthony Horowitz is an exciting book. It is the beginning of a series called “Alex Rider.” Stormbreaker’s main character is a fourteen-year-old boy named Alex Rider.

In the story, Alex suddenly finds his Uncle, Ian Rider (who never liked the title Uncle), dead in a car accident. Alex doesn’t think that his Uncle dead in a “car accident” after he sees a gun hidden behind the jacket of the funeral car limo driver.

Alex’s curiosity over-takes his senses and before he knows it, Alex finds himself at the junkyard where his uncle’s car went after he died. Seeing bullets in the windshield confirms his suspicions.

Suddenly, after a series of events, Alex finds himself working for the M16, Britain’s intelligence agency. The M16 thinks the same as Alex and they send Alex on a dangerous mission to try to save the world. Read Stormbreaker to see what happens to Alex.

Twilight- Stephanie Meyer

Today's extra special guest blog comes courtesy of AS. He/she has graciously agreed to tackle the cultural juggernaut that is the "Twilight" series. To me, vampires are bloodthirsty, soulless, monsters that want nothing more than to devour us, not sensitive souls who just want to find love. But hey, who am I to stand in the way of the zeitgeist? Enjoy.

-Sir Readsalot

Lions, tigers, and vampires? The first book, Twilight, in the hot new saga by Stephanie Meyer, features Edward, a mysterious vampire slowly falling in love with Bella, a normal human with an aversion to blood. Can this secret love work out? Can a vampire be with a mortal girl?
Primarily, Bella is clueless of Edward being a blood-sucking immortal, who would live forever unless killed. Soon, she fits together the puzzle and comes to the conclusion that Edward is a vampire.
Edward finds himself being drawn toward Bella and protecting her from the dangers of other vampires and even other humans. But being a vampire has made Edward and his siblings stop the ageing process. As Bella grows older she longs to stop maturing so she can be with Edward for eternity.
Throughout this book, there is suspense and romance, danger and anger. It is nearly unpredictable and every turn of a page could be Bella’s death.

The 39 Clues: Book 1 The Maze of Bones- Rick Riordan

OK, I've had the link to the website posted since the earliest days of this blog waaaaay back in the late summer of 2008, so I guess it's finally time I tackled the multi-platform, epic in the making, Internet tie ins galore, collectible trading cards included Juggernaut that is The 39 Clues.

Volume I (Apparently each volume will be written by a different author), Th Maze of Bones, was written by Rick Riordan whose work on the "Percy and the Olympians" series (The Lightning Thief, Sea of Monsters, etc...) I admire, so I decided to crack it open in search of the answer to that all-important question, "But is the book any good?"

The answer? A surprising yes. You all know how I feel about most series, and this one seemed more soulless and prepackaged than most, but by the end of The Maze of Bones, I had decided to read further, something I certainly can't say for all Volume I s I encounter.

Well, it starts out with the line "Five minutes before she died, Grace Cahill changed her will." OK, I'm in. Death, last minute will alterations, world-wide ramifications, those are definitely ingredients that can be baked in to a compelling yarn.

The afore-mentioned Ms. Cahill is changing her will to offer a Westing Game style scavenger hunt to her considerable number of heirs. The main two are Amy and Dan Cahill, and they also seem to be the only ones actually named Cahill. At the reading of the will Amy, Dan an many other heirs (of all ages, genders, and nationalities) are informed that they may either accept one million dollars, or participate in a hunt for 39 clues around the world. The team that finds the final clues will become the most powerful and influential Cahill ever.

Apparently all famous figures throughout history were Cahills of one sort or another: Thomas Jefferson, Pablo Picasso, Mozart, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Napoleon, etc... To further complicate matters, the Cahills have been split into four feuding and competing factions- The Janus, Ekaterinas, Tomas, and Lucian. All of the current heirs competing for the clues are from these different divisions. The branches of Grace Cahill as well as Amy and Dan are not mentioned in the first volume.

Once Amy and Dan agree to accept the challenge (Of course they've been orphaned as small children, so they are being raised by a dowdy and overbearing aunt.) they are immediately plunged into life-threatening danger. Without revealing too much, they barely escape the reading of the will with their lives, and are soon on their way to Paris on the trail of Benjamin Franklin, who was apparently a member of the Lucian branch.

Intrigue, explosions, codes, hidden messages, catacombs, double crosses, triple crosses, and and other high adventure follows shortly thereafter. Dan and Amy have to use their wits (Amy is very bookish while Dan provides a keen number sense and a head for codes and patterns) to stay in front of their murderous competitors, both their own distant relatives, and some other shadowy figures whose presences are never fully explained in The Maze of Bones.

Overall, the tension and excitement are maintained throughout. Since this is a preconceived series, Volume I wrapped up in a relatively tidy fashion. Volume II sees Dan, Amy, and the rest of the Cahills on the way to Vienna in search of a clue concerning Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.


After finishing the book, the first thing I did was head to 39Clues.com in order to register myself. After picking a username (SirReadsalot of course), I was prompted with a series of questions in order to determine what family branch I would be. I wasn't sure why I would need to do this, but I certainly did not want to deny myself even the tiniest bit of the 39 Clues experience.

After answering a series of questions as truthfully as possible ("Remember, we can TELL if you are lying" I was warned at one point), I was the presented with the following message:

Excellent!

You’ve been identified as a member of the Ekaterina branch. We’re sure it’s a relief to understand why you’re so much smarter than everyone you know. You’re related to the most brilliant scientists and inventors in history – Albert Einstein, for instance. The other branches don’t stand a chance!

OK, so I'm an "Ekaterina," whatever that means. I wonder if that is a good thing? Moving on...

It remains to be seen whether or not the website and trading cards will either add to, or take away from the reading experience, but I'll let you all know after I take in Volume II: One False Note, by Gordon Korman.

Inkheart- Cornelia Funke

Today's extra special guest blogger is a returning hero, Melody Howder. She is tackling on of the epic fantasy cycles that seemed to spring up in the wake of Harry Potter' success. In my humble opinion, it's better then most, but let's see what she has to say...

Inkheart is about a girl named Meggie who lives with her father Mo. Mo has a special power that can read characters in and out of books when he reads out loud. If he reads something out of the book something from his world has to go into the book. When Meggie was young, Mo read the book Inkheart (the title of the book with in the book) to find himself reading is wife into book while taking out of the books two bad guys named Basta and Capricorn. After ten years pass, a good guy (sometimes bad) that also came out of the book named Dustfinger comes to warn them about all the bad things Basta, Capricorn, and the rest of their crew have done. Meggie and Mo then go on an adventure to put Dustfinger back into Inkheart and to restore everything to normal. Inkheart is a beautiful piece of magic for any age. It tells you how powerful magic, books, and words can be. Warning: this book is very thick and very detailed. If you don’t like long and detailed books, then this is not ideal. Inkheart has two sequels: Inkspell and Inkdeath. Inkheart will be major motion picture on January 23, 2009.

Cornelia Funke's Site

But Did You Read It First?- Coraline

Today I'm excited to introduce a new feature to Anbaric Lights. I know that the tagline is a book review for (and occasionally by) kids, but we're looking to spread a wings a bit here. But Did You Read It First? is going to address movie adaptations of popular children's books.

Literary adaptations are such tricky things, as we all have our own preconceived notions about the characters looks, accents, wardrobe etc... and rarely do they conform to what eventually makes it to the screen. However, if we see the the movie first, we can't help but picture the actors in our heads as we read. I'm a huge fan of personal and unique interpretations of stories, so I advocate (some would argue to the point of militancy) that reading precede viewing in every literary adaptation.

Like the publishing industry, the fantastic success of the Harry Potter films lead to an inordinate amount of adaptation rights purchased and rushed into production. Visions of enormous paydays and franchise potential lead to disappointing versions of Eragon, Series of Unfortunate Events, The Golden Compass, City of Ember, Bridge to Terebithia, City of Ember, Inkheart (perhaps soon to be tackled by our own Melody Houser soon, assuming her Inkheart book review ever gets finished) and many others soon followed.

I personally lost my taste for the movies after a so-so and defanged film version of The Golden Compass. However, I did have high hopes for Coraline, and thus it is the subject of this inaugural post.

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Neil Gaiman, and when I heard that he was adapting his delightfully creepy fairytale Coraline with stop motion animation genius Henry Selick of Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach fame my appetite was considerably whetted.

First and foremost, the story: Coraline Jones moves with her family to the Pink Paradise Apartment complex (a converted Victorian mansion) presumably so her garden catalog author/editor parents can get some work done. Coraline has left her friends behind, and is clearly unhappy in her new environment. While wondering in the hills behind her new home she encounters Wybegone, who goes by Wybie, someone who seems very wanting in regard to the friends she's left behind.

The Pink Paradise is also inhabited by Mr. Bobinsky, a washed-up Russian acrobat who is training a mouse circus, and Ms. Forcible and Ms. Spink, two decidedly over the hill former stage actresses who spend their days with their with wads of taffy and innumerable schnauzers. As Coraline mopes about (everyone calls her Caroline) her parents are too consumed with their work to pay her any mind. They won't even let her play outside in the rain for fear of tracking mud into the house. Gardening author/editors indeed. Her father, in a fit of absent-minded, ill-advised and work-obsessed parenting skills gives Coraline a notebook and tells her to count all of the doors and windows in the house.

It is during one such accounting task that she finds a mysterious and tiny door hidden behind the wallpaper of their living room. Her mother, just to shut Coraline up, produces the key and opens it. The open the door only to find it bricked over. However, later that night Coraline returns to the door and finds a mysterious tunnel waiting for her. Upon traversing it she encounters a world very similar to her own.

Her parents are there but different. One, they have buttons for eyes, and two everything is better. The food is delicious, her parents are loving and attentive, her father has grown the garden to resemble her face, and the neighbors are considerably sprier and more entertaining than they were back in Coraline's world. No one calls her "Caroline," but did I mention that everyone has "BUTTONS FOR EYES!!!?"

At first everything is wonderful, but when the buttons, needle and thread are pulled out for Coraline herself, she realizes that things were better at her (real) home. What follows is her struggle to return home and defeat the evil and frankly terrifying machinations of her "other Mother."

Now, the look. Selnick has truly outdone himself with this one. The look of the whole film is gorgeous, but the other world is especially breathtaking. Bobinsky's mouse circus, the stage show performed by Forcible and Spink, the Garden, the horribly elongated and arachnid true form of the other mother, all rendered in gorgeous stop-motion animation and 3-D (be prepared to pay a little extra for the privilege).

Does it do the book justice? Most definitely. Fans of the book and neophytes alike will delight in Selnick's achievement in Coraline. To my devoted audience of readers (all almost several of you) I put forth the following request: let's look at forthcoming or recently released children's literature adaptations. Who wants to be the first guest blogger for But Did You Read It First?? Inkheart is still in theaters, and City of Ember just came out on DVD. Let me know what you are thinking, and there might be a trip to the movies on my dime in it for you...

Esperanza Rising- Pam Muñoz Ryan

Today's guest blog comes to us courtesy of a first time extra special guest blogger, Miss Frisby. She's been a dedicated commenter for a while (always very much appreciated Miss Frisby) and now get ready for her anbariclights debut. On a related note, if you leave the origin of her nom de plume in the comments section, you can see me for a special prize. (Sorry Miss Frisby, you're excluded from this offer.)

Sir Readsalot

Esperanza Rising, by Pam Muñoz Ryan, is a really great book. Esperanza Ortega lived a life full of ups, never downs, and servants. First, she doesn’t care about any thing or anyone around her. Then, she changes into a different person.
One day, in the springtime just before her 13th birthday, her Papi never comes home. Earlier in the day, her Mama had warned him about bandits. When he finally comes home lying in a cart pulled by workers, he is dead. Then later in the spring, Esparanza is asleep and she just makes it out alive when a fire rages through her house. The house burns down, and Esperanza’s Abuela, or grandma, hurts her foot. Her mean uncles come for the property and her family moves to America. There, Esperanza must do something she’s never done before, work on a farm picking vegetables.

What else will happen to her? Read the book to find out. This book is for people who like Mexican history and adventure. Esperanza changes by the end of the book.

Congratulations Neil Gaiman!

Wow, I never thought I'd see the day, but one of my all-time favorite authors, Neil Gaiman, a man that I regard as visionary, but not particularly mainstream, has been honored with the Newberry award for his recently published The Graveyard Book, reviewed here. It's always a pleasure to see some of my favorite authors make good. Congratulations Neil. I can't wait to see Coraline. a full list of award winners for 2009: (from the ALA website. Check the links on the homepage.)

2009 Medal Winner

The 2009 Newbery Medal winner is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Dave McKean, and published by HarperCollins Children's Books.

A delicious mix of murder, fantasy, humor and human longing, the tale of Nobody Owens is told in magical, haunting prose. A child marked for death by an ancient league of assassins escapes into an abandoned graveyard, where he is reared and protected by its spirit denizens.

"A child named Nobody, an assassin, a graveyard and the dead are the perfect combination in this deliciously creepy tale, which is sometimes humorous, sometimes haunting and sometimes surprising," said Newbery Committee Chair Rose V. Treviño.

2009 Honor Books

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt, illustrated by David Small (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing)

Underneath the canopy of the loblolly pines, amid the pulsating sounds of the swamp, there lies a tale. Intertwining stories of an embittered man, a loyal hound, an abandoned cat and a vengeful lamia sing of love, loss, loneliness and hope. Appelt's lyrical storytelling heightens the distinguished characteristics of this work.

The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba's Struggle for Freedom by Margarita Engle (Henry Holt & Comapny)

The Surrender Tree utilizes compelling free verse in alternating voices to lyrically tell the story of Cuba's three wars for independence from Spain. Combining real-life characters (such as legendary healer Rosa La Bayamesa) with imagined individuals, Engle focuses on Rosa's struggle to save everyone--black, white, Cuban, Spanish, friend or enemy.

Savvy by Ingrid Law (Dial Books for Young Readers, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group in partnership with Walden Media, LLC

This rich first-person narrative draws readers into a wild bus ride, winding through the countryside on a journey of self-discovery for Mibs Beaumont and her companions. Newcomer Law weaves a magical tall tale, using vivid language and lively personalities, all bouncing their way to a warm, satisfying conclusion.

After Tupac & D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson (G.P. Putnam's Sons, a division of Penguin Books for Young Readers)

This tightly woven novel looks back on two years in a New York City neighborhood, where life changes for two 11-year-olds when a new girl joins their game of double Dutch. Bonded by Tupac's music, the three girls explore the lure of freedom and build a friendship that redefines their own identities.

The Sisters Grimm- Michael Buckley

The Sisters Grimm, by Michael Buckley, is a relatively pleasant addition to the genre sometimes known as "fractured fairytales," i.e. conventional themes and characters from world folklore updated and adapted for new settings, contemporary environments, or additional adventures.

In this case we have the sisters of the title, Sabrina and Daphne, who are the great great grandchildren of the legendary Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. In the story, the Brothers Grimm were not just compilers of the stories they grew up recording, but recorders of actual events in Europe and the rest of the world.

Once contact between the characters of the stories (Prince Charming, the three little pigs, Jack-he of "and the beanstalk" fame-, the Queen of Hearts, Beauty and the Beast, Shere Khan from The Jungle Book, Mama Bear, Puck, among many, many others...) became too frequent, they moved to the then unsettled by Europeans continent of North America. There, a spell was cast by the legendary witch Baba Yaga confining all of these magical beings (referred to as "Everafters") to a small town in upstate New York. The descendants of the Grimms also live in the town and serve as the town's detective and overseers. The spell keeps the Everafters trapped in the town as long as there is a Grimm living there. Needless to say, the Grimms are not very popular with the denizens of the town...

As the story begins, Daphne and Sabrina are unaware of their heritage and destinies. Their Father, Henry, had turned his back on the family business and raised them oblivious in New York City. Unfortunately, Henry and the girls' mother, Veronica, have disappeared at the beginning of the story.

The girls have been bounced around from one foster home to another for the better part of a year. Eventually, they end up on the way to live with a grandmother they never knew they had in the town of Ferryport (originally "Fairy"port...get it?) New York.

Their grandmother, Relda Grimm, greets them enthusiastically with her companion Mr. Canis and an enormous great dane named Elvis. He's a major "Everafter" but I'll let you find out who for yourself. His name is a big hint, however. Sabrina, the older of the two sisters, is very wary and suspicious (especially after a year of awful foster home experiences) and is keen to escape from the house as soon as possible. The younger Daphne is more loving and trusting and is quick to believe Relda's story about being their grandmother.

After an escape attempt is foiled by an attack of malevolent pixies, the girls are forced to accept that there may be more to Ferryport than initially meets the eye. Just as they start to learn about their role as Grimms they run afoul of an angry giant and a mysterious plot that may or may not lead back to Ferryport's mayor, the nefarious Prince Charming.

Relda and Canis are kidnapped, and the rest of the story follows the attempts of Daphne and Sabrina (along with the aid of Puck, a magic mirror, and Jack of FEE-FI-FO-FUM fame who has particular expertise regarding giants) to save their new family and friends from the giant, avoid the attention of three porcine policemen, and figure out just what exactly it is that Charming is up to.
along the way we see Ichabod Crane, Dorothy's Ruby Slippers, Ali Baba's flying carpet, and even Excalibur! Buckley has a lot of fun with these beloved and familiar characters, and he balances the story well with tantalizing hints about a larger conspiracy involving the disappearance of Daphne and Sabrina's parents. Presumably, this larger mystery will be examined and solved over the course of the five subsequent sequels. I have heard that the sequels get pretty repetitive over time, the same fate that I felt befell the latter Series of Unfortunate Events books which became the same story over and over and over. It remains to be seen whether or not Buckley can keep his relatively original idea fresh. I'd love feedback from any readers who are familiar with any of the sequels; leave your thoughts in the comments section.

Sisters Grimm Site