The Books of Elsewhere: The Shadows

Reminiscent of Gaiman’s Coraline, Olive is a curious lonely girl that falls into a magical situation. Her parents decide to ditch dull generic apartment living for a kooky odd house. Sure enough the house has plenty of secrets mainly that it was formerly owned by accomplished witches that have figured out a way to remain immortal in order to keep their home. Their power has been stored in paintings, which Olive eventually figures out how to enter. There are helpful felines, long ago kidnapped characters now trapped in paintings and enchanted spectacles. All the supernatural elements blend well with reality and Olive is instantly likeable as the hero. The narrative is well written, evenly paced and fun. Jacqueline West has created an imaginative story filled with adventure and the main character never even leaves her house!

Turtle in Paradise

I am not usually a fan of kid's historical fiction. It is often trying so hard to illustrate life at that given point in time that it makes for tedious reading. This novel is nothing like that. This story loosely based on Jennifer L. Holm's own family history is quite entertaining. Turtle is 11 years old and living in New Jersey with her mom in 1935. She learns some things quick being the housekeeper's kid mainly that other kids can be really cruel. After her mother takes on work for a demanding woman who detests children, Turtle gets shipped down to her mom's home town in the Florida Keys to live with an aunt she has never even met. There she is surrounded by cousins-- all boys who due to their unique babysitting talents are known on the island as The Diaper Gang. She quickly experiences a completely different way of life and finds herself encountering people that know a lot about her even though she has never heard of them. The writing is excellent, detailed and interesting. Turtle seriousness is contrasted expertly with the island kids' wit and savvy. The ending is abrupt and a bit unbelievable, but the overall story is so strong that it is enjoyable just the same.

Falling In

Author: Frances O'Roark Dowell

Ages:9-12

On a scale of 1-5 this book is a 5

Eleven-year-old thrift-store-loving, dumpster-diving Isabelle Bean is different. The kind of different that makes other children avoid her and teachers suspect her of always being up to something. So, when she is again sent to the principal's office for inattention, she goes quite happily. Perhaps she will find the source of the mysterious buzzing coming through the floor of her classroom and up her feet, legs, and body to her ears. Reaching the principal's office she hears a squeak coming from the closet and upon opening the door falls in...to another world; a world of frightened villagers, dense, scary woods, and a child-eating witch. A world where Isabelle, in her favorite dumpster-rescued, pointy-toed, red boots is mistaken for the witch.

A fairy tale adventure that addresses universal themes of acceptance, fear of those who are different, and the destructive power of gossip and rumor.