Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians

Book Details:
Genre: Juvenile Fantasy
Page Count: 308
Publication Date: Oct. 1, 2007
Why I read it: I like the author
Grade: B

The plot:
A hero with an incredible talent...for breaking things. A life-or-death mission...to rescue a bag of sand. A fearsome threat from a powerful secret network...the evil Librarians.

Alcatraz Smedry doesn't seem destined for anything but disaster. On his 13th birthday he receives a bag of sand, which is quickly stolen by the cult of evil Librarians plotting to take over the world. The sand will give the Librarians the edge they need to achieve world domination. Alcatraz must stop them!...by infiltrating the local library, armed with nothing but eyeglasses and a talent for klutziness.

My review:
Brandon Sanderson is one of my favorite authors. So I was curious to see what this childrens fantasy series would be like. I can't say I like it as well as his adult fantasy, but it was highly enjoyable for sure. It's written in the style as if the main character is writing his story, and there are a lot of instances of the character (as the author, or is it the author as the character?) talking to the reader. This type of thing can be done well or it can be incredibly annoying. Fortunately, it was done well and was very fun.

Alcatraz is a great character, and I think one that older children especially will love. The whole book is very clever and creative. Here's a quote that I particularly liked:

Now, actual torture is frowned upon in civilized society. Fortunately, the authorial community has discovered in storytelling an even more powerful--and more fulfilling--means of causing agony in others. We write stories. And by doing so, we engage in a perfectly legal method of doing all kinds of mean and terrible things to our readers.
Take, for instance, the word I used above. Propondity. There is no such word--I made it up. Why? Because it amused me to think of thousands of readers looking up a nonsense word in their dictionaries.

This is the writing style of the book, so if the above quote sound fun to you, you'll probably like it. If it seems annoying, steer clear. This is not a book for everyone. I would say that just because you enjoy Sanderson's adult fantasy does not mean you will like this. It's completely different in style. But if you like silly, fun children's fantasy, or you're looking for something fun for your kids to read, this is a great choice.

The Farwalker's Quest

Title: The Farwalker's Quest
Author: Joni Sensel
Genre: Juvenile Fantasy
Page Count: 372
Why I read it: wanted to
Grade: A-

Synopsis:
Ariel has always been curious, but when she and her best friend Zeke stumble upon a mysterious old telling dart she feels an unexplained need to figure out what it means. Magically flying great distances and only revealing their messages to the intended recipient, telling darts haven’t been used for years, and no one knows how they work. So when two strangers show up looking for the dart, Ariel and Zeke realize that their discovery is not only interesting, but very dangerous. The telling dart and the strangers lead them on a journey more perilous and encompassing than either can imagine, and in the process both Zeke and Ariel find their true calling.

My review:
The Farwalker's Quest was a Cybils Awards Nominee for Middle Grade Fantasy and Science fiction in 2009, which is where I first heard of it.  It started off a little slow, and I was afraid it wasn't going to be my cup of tea, but things picked up a bit, and I quite enjoyed it.

It's pretty much your typical quest story.  There was a lot of walking and camping and questing, but it was very well done.  I found Ariel a bit petulant and annoying, but I had to remind myself that she was young, and going through trying times, and that it was okay.  And once I could get past that, I really loved the story.  There were some interesting elements, and some that I've read before (Naming Day at age 13, or the like, has been done already), but none of it felt like it was just a copy of previous books.

Looking on Goodreads, I see that this is the first of a series, or at least that it has a sequel, which is nice because I'd like to re-visit this world.  I would recommend this one to fans of YA or juvenile fantasy.  It deserved to be nominated for the award, even if it didn't win. 

Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo

Title: Leven Thumps and the Gateway to Foo
Author: Obert Skye
Genre: YA Fantasy
Page Count: 339
Why I read it: saw it featured in the back of Fablehaven
Grade: D

Synopsis:
Fourteen-year-old Leven Thumps (a.k.a. "Lev") lives a wretched life in Burnt Culvert, Oklahoma. But his life is about to change and his destiny be fulfilled as he learns about a secret gateway that bridges two worlds -- the real world and Foo, a place created at the at the beginning of time in the folds of the mind that makes it possible for mankind to dream and hope, aspire and imagine. But Foo is in chaos, and three transplants from that dreamworld have been sent to retrieve Lev, who alone has the power to save Foo.

My review:
I really didn't like this one.  It was so bad that I had to skim heavily to even finish it.  The author was trying really hard to be clever, but it just didn't mesh with my sense of humor, I guess.  I found it more grating than funny.  It seemed that the author was going for a really quirky, fun story, but I was mostly bored.

It's labeled (at least at my library) as young adult fiction, and I think that was definitely a mis-label.  It's definitely juvenile fiction.  Compared to some of the really awesome YA fiction I've been reading, this one just seems really amateur.  I'm sure there's a market for this kind of book, but I'm not it, so I won't be continuing with this series.

The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers 2

Title: The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers 2
Author: Carla Barnhill
Genre: Juvenile Christian Non-fiction
Page Count: 384
Why I read it: Received from Tyndale Publisher for review
Grade: A

Synopsis:
The One Year Devotions for Preschoolers 2 uses the Little Blessings characters to help children through easy-to-understand devotions. Each reading pairs a Little Blessings illustration with a short Bible verse and devotional thought that gets you and your child talking about the simple truths of Scripture. A fun, rhyming prayer completes each devotional. This book is a great way to get young children interacting with Scripture daily to learn of God’s wonderful promises and timeless truths. Previously published as Blessings Every Day.

My review:
When I received this in the mail, and let my three-year-old open it, he was so excited to be getting his very own book in the mail.  We started reading it right away, and although it's a devotional, meant to be read one page (or devotion) each day, he wanted me to just keep on going.  We've read through this whole book a couple of times already.

He absolutely loves it, and I think it's quite cute, with good Biblical truths.  The illustrations are adorable as well.  I'm not sure how you could get by with just reading one page at a time with your preschooler.  I guarantee once you start reading, they'll want more.  So, in this way, it doesn't really work as a devotional book.  But that's not a bad thing, I don't think.  I would recommend this to Christian parents looking for a good book to read with their young child.

The Secret of Indigo Moon

Title: Doppelganger Chronicles: The Secret of Indigo Moon
Author: G.P. Taylor
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
Got it from: Tyndale Publisher
Why I read it: Received review copy
Grade: B

Synopsis:
Erik Morissey Ganger, famed explorer and detective (well, in his dreams), and his mischief-making sidekicks, twins Sadie and Saskia Dopple, didn’t go looking for a secret tunnel beneath the school. They never intended to make the acquaintance of a shifty private eye with a nose for trouble. It wasn’t part of the plan to come face to face with an old enemy, one with an agenda of his own that could destroy them all. And unraveling the “secret of indigo moon” was the farthest thing from their minds.


My review:
I read this book to my kids, ages twelve and six, and they both really enjoyed it.  My six year old has a pretty short attention span, but he was interested enough in the story to sit still and listen as we read up to 100 pages in one sitting.  On it's own, at least for me, the story was not that interesting.  Of course, it's a children's book, so that's not necessarily surprising.  My kids did love it, after all.

But I think what they really loved about this book, and what makes it special is it's format.  It's part illustrated novel, part graphic novel, with the format changing all throughout the book.  And it was a beautiful book.  This was the second of the series, and we hadn't read the first, but didn't feel lost or anything.  I would recommend this book, but on the caveat that it's not really one of those children's novels for adults, but it's a wonderful book to read to your children.

Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary

Title: Fablehaven: Secrets of the Dragon Sanctuary
Author: Brandon Mull
Genre: Juvenile Fantasy
Got it from: library
Why I read it: fourth in a series
Grade: B+

Synopsis: Two hidden artifacts have been found. Three more remain unrecovered. More preserves face destruction as the Society of the Evening Star relentlessly pursues new talismans. Reading in Patton s Journal of Secrets, Kendra learns the location of the key to a vault housing one of the artifacts. In order to retrieve it, the Knights of the Dawn must enter a death trap a dragon sanctuary called Wyrmroost.




My Review:
I love the imaginative aspect to these books.  There are so many different kinds of fantasy creatures that it really makes things interesting.  If that were the only focus (and sometimes that's all I let it be) then these books would be excellent.  The problem that I have found is there is very little character development.  For one thing, the main characters, Kendra and Seth, have grown hardly at all over the last four books.

But the bigger problem lies in the fact that besides Kendra and Seth, I hardly know or care about any of the other characters.  It seems they only exist to help the two children, or to move the story along, but we don't get to hear about who they are beyond a name and a few basic defining characteristics.  I think that makes the story weaker, and it could be so much better.

I am really enjoying this series.  It's a fun read, but that's about it.  It's not anything I'll really be thinking about after I finish.

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague

Title: Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague
Author: Brandon Mull
Genre: Juvenile Fantasy
Got it from: Library
Why I read it: third in a series
Grade: B

Summary:
Strange things are afoot at Fablehaven.  Someone or something has released a plague that transforms beings of light into creatures of darkness.  Seth discovers the problem in its infancy, but as the infectious disease spreads, it becomes clear that the preserve cannot hold for long.  In dire need of help, the Sorensons question where to turn.  Meanwhile, Kendra and members of the Knights of the Dawn must journey to a distant preserve and retrieve another artifact.


My review:
I was a little bit disappointed with this book.  I thought the first half was quite slow.  There was too much figuring things out and looking for things, and not a whole lot of action.  The thing that works for me with the Fablehaven books is that there is a lot of magic, creativity, and imagination.  Without that, the books fail.  I felt the first half was lacking in that aspect.  I just didn't feel motivated to pick up the book, so what should have been a quick read took me a long time to read.

The second half picked up quite nicely, though.  The magic that I loved from the other books was there.  It was action packed, and kept me turning the pages.  Maybe the first half needed tighter editing, or maybe I am just spoiled and demand action every second.  :)  I'm not sure.  I would recommend this book to those who have been reading the series, but honestly, if this had been the first book of the series, I may have given up without getting to the good second half, and wouldn't have continued the series.

Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star

Title: Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star
Author: Brandon Mull
Genre: Juvenile Fantasy
Got it from: Bookstore
Why I read it: Second in a series
Grade: A

Synopsis:
At the end of the school year, Kendra and her brother, Seth, find themselves racing back to Fablehaven, a refuge for mythical and magical creatures. Grandpa Sorenson, the caretaker, invites three specialists- a potion master, a magical relics collector, and a mystical creature trapper- to help protect the property from the Society of the Evening Star, an ancient organization determined to infiltrate the preserve and steal a hidden artifact of great power. Time is running out. The Evening Star is storming the gates. If the artifact falls into the wrong hands, it could mean the downfall of other preserves and possibly the world.

My review:
I liked this one slightly less than the first one, just because there was less cool fairy action, but that doesn't mean it wasn't excellent.  What I really like about these stories is that the focus isn't just one one kind of fantasy.  It's not about wizards or dragons or fairies, it has all the fantasy creatures you know and love, and then some new ones.  Brandon Mull is definitely imaginative.  These would make great books to read with your children, as they are just clean, fun fantasy.

Review - Fablehaven

Title: Fablehaven
Author: Brandon Mull
Genre: Juvenile Fantasy
Got it from: Library
Why I read it: recommended by sister-in-law
Grade: A

Synopsis:
Kendra and her brother Seth have no idea their grandfather is the current caretaker of Fablehaven. Inside the gated woods, ancient laws give relative order among greedy trolls, mischievous satyrs, plotting witches, spiteful imps, and jealous fairies. However, when the rules get broken, an arcane evil is unleashed, forcing Kendra and Seth to face the greatest challenge of their lives. To save her family, Fablehaven, and perhaps the world, Kendra must find the courage to do what she fears most.



My review:
When my sister-in-law suggested this book, saying she loved it, I was a little hesitant to read it.  I thought we really didn't have the same book tastes, but then I was browsing in the library the other day (one of my favorite things), and I decided to give it a try.  I absolutely loved it!  I guess that means I'll have to listen to her more.

I really love the cover of this book.  I'm amazed at the artwork on most fantasy books' covers.  It really draws me in, especially when they're something going on and not just a pattern or a flower or something.  I think the thing I liked best about this story is that there were a lot of fairies, and I love fairies.  It's hard to find a good fairy story.  The other fantasy creatures in this book were interesting and well done, too.

Of course the characters got on my nerves a bit, but they were children.  My own kids get on my nerves on a daily basis.  :)  The good thing is, these characters acted like kids.  They weren't miniature adults.  They didn't talk and think like adults.  I would definitely recommend this one--to kids, fantasy lovers, and to anyone who loves a good fairy tale.