The Candy Shop War
by Brandon Mull
ISBN-10: 159038783X
Review by Heather Froeschl
Never take candy from a stranger! Brandon Mull, New York Times bestselling author of “Fablehaven,” likes to use the messages we all hear as kids, like, “Drink your milk,” and this traditional warning to stay away from strangers bearing sweets. The similarities to anything you’ve heard before stop there. “The Candy Shop War” is something completely new and different, and I might add, something fantastic and full of action.
Brandon Mull has created a whole new world where special candy can make kids float, shoot electric shocks from their fingers, and even enter the land of wonder through the looking glass…but it isn’t anything wonderful in there! Nate is new to the neighborhood, having just moved in, and the friends he makes in the first days will become the truest sort he can hope for. They will come to rely on each other in ways they never could have imagined. The kids start doing after school chores for the owner of a new candy shop in return for special treats. Here’s where that warning comes in to never take candy from people you don’t know. The chores turn into assignments, which turn out to be quite dangerous and progressively wrong. The temptation might seem sweet but Nate and his friend Trevor decide to hang in there for other reasons. There is a mystery to be solved, and it turns out that there is a rival candy seller who has an interest in what is discovered. A great legend comes into play, and while talking dogs and horses are very cool, what is going on is becoming terribly bad. It’s up to Nate and his friends to put a stop to it, if they aren’t eaten by giant black widow spiders, or turned to bones and dust first.
This middle grade reader is fantastically full of adventure and fun of a completely different sort. While there is magic and wonder involved, it isn’t like anything published in recent history. The underlying messages are well thought out, while the characters steal the show. Kids aged 8-12 will see themselves as Nate figures out what to do to save the day, and even as he bounces from rooftop to rooftop. Who wouldn’t love to give their teacher fudge in order to make her forget about assigning homework? The writing is, as always, a pleasure to partake of. Brandon Mull is a gifted author who knows how to reach out to his readers even when giving them those important reminders to drink milk and not take candy from strangers. I will anxiously await even more published work from this author, and Shadow Mountain.
Showing posts with label Fablehaven. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fablehaven. Show all posts
Friday, September 7, 2007
Monday, March 5, 2007
Children's/YA Fantasy Fiction Review
Fablehaven Rise of the Evening Star
by Brandon Mull
ISBN-10: 1590387643
When the world needs protection, and magical beings are at risk, the power of youth is called into action. In Brandon Mull’s newest book “Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star,” readers will be swept up in the fantastical realm of the unusual and unexpected.
Kendra is fourteen years old and her brother Seth is twelve. Their youth and energy will see them through some amazing adventures as the school year ends and summer begins. The magic won’t wait for the two to enter their grandparents’ home in Fablehaven, a refuge for magical creatures. Something lurks the school halls, and someone tricks Seth into letting loose a goblin. A phone call from Grandpa Sorenson warns of danger and explains the need for the siblings to help protect the sanctuary. An ancient artifact is hidden somewhere on Fablehaven and with the help of some of their grandparents’ companions, Kendra and Seth have to find it before the Society of the Evening Star discovers it. The safety of the world depends on this quest, and the future of magical creatures everywhere hinges on the outcome.
Kendra finds that she has some amazing, fairy gifted, abilities, like seeing in the dark and understanding different languages. Seth finds that he is braver than he ever dreamed possible, but smart enough to know when a little fright and caution is a good thing. Together, the two will uncover mysteries, make their way through Brownie tunnels, and face terrors of high proportions. Will they figure out who has infiltrated Fablehaven? Can they get to the artifact before it is too late? Do you know who to trust?
Brandon Mull has done it again. His works are an absolute escape into fantasy but with a grounded foundation in reality that makes it all the easier to fall under his trance. This stand alone book, the second in the series, is much anticipated, but it will also leave readers frantic for more. The implications of future storylines are highly enticing and promise great enjoyment. Mull has a way of drawing in even the most reluctant of readers. His characters are teeming with strengths and abilities, weaknesses and faults. The imagination is set free, all the while inspiring readers to discover their own inner selves. With a social message or two, Brandon Mull has penned another masterpiece. In the traditions of Tolkien and Rowland, but with a wonderful style that is all his own, this author is one to watch and eagerly anticipate future works from.
by Brandon Mull
ISBN-10: 1590387643
When the world needs protection, and magical beings are at risk, the power of youth is called into action. In Brandon Mull’s newest book “Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star,” readers will be swept up in the fantastical realm of the unusual and unexpected.
Kendra is fourteen years old and her brother Seth is twelve. Their youth and energy will see them through some amazing adventures as the school year ends and summer begins. The magic won’t wait for the two to enter their grandparents’ home in Fablehaven, a refuge for magical creatures. Something lurks the school halls, and someone tricks Seth into letting loose a goblin. A phone call from Grandpa Sorenson warns of danger and explains the need for the siblings to help protect the sanctuary. An ancient artifact is hidden somewhere on Fablehaven and with the help of some of their grandparents’ companions, Kendra and Seth have to find it before the Society of the Evening Star discovers it. The safety of the world depends on this quest, and the future of magical creatures everywhere hinges on the outcome.
Kendra finds that she has some amazing, fairy gifted, abilities, like seeing in the dark and understanding different languages. Seth finds that he is braver than he ever dreamed possible, but smart enough to know when a little fright and caution is a good thing. Together, the two will uncover mysteries, make their way through Brownie tunnels, and face terrors of high proportions. Will they figure out who has infiltrated Fablehaven? Can they get to the artifact before it is too late? Do you know who to trust?
Brandon Mull has done it again. His works are an absolute escape into fantasy but with a grounded foundation in reality that makes it all the easier to fall under his trance. This stand alone book, the second in the series, is much anticipated, but it will also leave readers frantic for more. The implications of future storylines are highly enticing and promise great enjoyment. Mull has a way of drawing in even the most reluctant of readers. His characters are teeming with strengths and abilities, weaknesses and faults. The imagination is set free, all the while inspiring readers to discover their own inner selves. With a social message or two, Brandon Mull has penned another masterpiece. In the traditions of Tolkien and Rowland, but with a wonderful style that is all his own, this author is one to watch and eagerly anticipate future works from.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Children's/YA Fiction Fantasy Review
Fablehaven
by Brandon Mull
ISBN-10: 1416947205
Where have all the fairies gone? To Fablehaven of course! A preserve for magical creatures awaits your visit in Brandon Mull's fantastical, wonderful book, "Fablehaven." Look out J.K. Rowling; the fantasy genre has an outstanding new author to embrace!
"None who enter will leave unchanged" as readers take a look into Fablehaven. 13-year-old Kendra and her 11-year-old brother Seth think they are in for a boring two weeks at their grandparent's home in Connecticut. Their parents are off on a cruise and the huge house comes with a lot of rules. Grandpa offers no good reason to stay out of the woods but he does promise terrible punishment - confinement to the attic playroom - if the children disobey. Naturally this leads Seth to the forest edge and beyond. What waits for him is beyond his comprehension. Kendra meanwhile, takes time to unravel a puzzle Grandpa has given her, involving three keys that go to hidden keyholes in the playroom. This unlocks more than her imagination can allow and leads her to "Drink the milk." The mystery lies in what happens after the milk is consumed...wondrous sights and sounds that previously appeared as nothing more than butterflies.
Adventure and excitement abound as the siblings delve ever deeper into the secrets of Fablehaven. Grandpa has hidden much from them until they have proven that they are the right sort of people for the experience. With wonder around every corner, and under every leaf, this book will entrance readers. "Trespassers will be turned to stone," but the magic that is revealed for those who are welcomed inside is a treasure indeed. Welcome readers, to a trip you will never forget.
The plot of "Fablehaven" is fast paced, precise and perfect. It is a truly captivating tale. The characters instantly turn into children the readers know, if not, in fact, themselves. Seeing yourself in the pages of a book as magical as this one is a precious gift. The descriptive writing will put you deep into a cave, escaping an ogress, and just as easily into a beautiful garden rich with flowers and fairies. A return visit to "Fablehaven" will be on the wish list of every reader. This is a terrific book and I see great things in store for Brandon Mull.
by Brandon Mull
ISBN-10: 1416947205
Where have all the fairies gone? To Fablehaven of course! A preserve for magical creatures awaits your visit in Brandon Mull's fantastical, wonderful book, "Fablehaven." Look out J.K. Rowling; the fantasy genre has an outstanding new author to embrace!
"None who enter will leave unchanged" as readers take a look into Fablehaven. 13-year-old Kendra and her 11-year-old brother Seth think they are in for a boring two weeks at their grandparent's home in Connecticut. Their parents are off on a cruise and the huge house comes with a lot of rules. Grandpa offers no good reason to stay out of the woods but he does promise terrible punishment - confinement to the attic playroom - if the children disobey. Naturally this leads Seth to the forest edge and beyond. What waits for him is beyond his comprehension. Kendra meanwhile, takes time to unravel a puzzle Grandpa has given her, involving three keys that go to hidden keyholes in the playroom. This unlocks more than her imagination can allow and leads her to "Drink the milk." The mystery lies in what happens after the milk is consumed...wondrous sights and sounds that previously appeared as nothing more than butterflies.
Adventure and excitement abound as the siblings delve ever deeper into the secrets of Fablehaven. Grandpa has hidden much from them until they have proven that they are the right sort of people for the experience. With wonder around every corner, and under every leaf, this book will entrance readers. "Trespassers will be turned to stone," but the magic that is revealed for those who are welcomed inside is a treasure indeed. Welcome readers, to a trip you will never forget.
The plot of "Fablehaven" is fast paced, precise and perfect. It is a truly captivating tale. The characters instantly turn into children the readers know, if not, in fact, themselves. Seeing yourself in the pages of a book as magical as this one is a precious gift. The descriptive writing will put you deep into a cave, escaping an ogress, and just as easily into a beautiful garden rich with flowers and fairies. A return visit to "Fablehaven" will be on the wish list of every reader. This is a terrific book and I see great things in store for Brandon Mull.
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