Puddlejumpers by Mark Jean and Christopher C. Carlson

I always think it's interesting when I see a book written by two people. I wonder how they actually do that -- I guess I'm just such a solitary writer that I can't imagine divvying up the chapters or however it works. But regardless, these two make a good team because they created such an original page-turner I couldn't put it down.

Puddlejumpers begins with a tragedy that only becomes more heartbreaking. Little Shawn's mother dies in childbirth. While he is still a baby, Shawn is taken from his doting father by little creatures called Puddlejumpers. Apparently Shawn is their Rainmaker and he has a destiny to fulfill. 

A turn of events lands Shawn in the hands of a kindly truck driver who delivers him to the steps of an orphanage that Shawn calls home for years. Fate returns Shawn, now called Ernie Banks, back home and into the waiting arms of adventure. With nasty Troggs trying to get rid of him, adorable and kind creatures trying to keep him safe, and a world beyond what we can see, Puddlejumpers is a wonderful fantasy adventure. The characters are well-developed and the heartfelt story is wall to wall with pulse-pounding excitement. Fans of Spiderwick Chronicles will love this book -- as did I. 

4 and a half bookmarks, no doubt!

The Mysterious Benedict Society -- Trenton Lee Stewart

With the snarkiness of A Series of Unfortunate Events and the mind-bending conundrums of Chasing Vermeer, The Mysterious Benedict Society is a group a four gifted children brought together by an enigmatic classified ad that asks:

Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?

When the parentless kids respond to the ad, they are put through a series of tricky tests and puzzles that qualify them as the perfect team the narcoleptic Mr. Benedict needs to infiltrate the secretive school L.I.V.E. (the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened). This school, Mr. Benedict believes, is somehow behind the subliminal messages he has discovered are being broadcast as part of the evil Mr. Curtain's mind-control plot to (mwah ha ha ha) take over the world!

Reynie Muldoon is an excellent lead character -- geeky intelligent but likable in his role as the group's unofficial leader. The never-forgets-anything-he's-ever-read George "Sticky" Washington, the get-out-of-any-situation Kate and the perpetually grumpy Constance Contraire (SUCH a great name) round out the group. The four friends don't always get along, in fact, it takes them a while to really discover their friendship, but ultimately the bond is cut deep as they work together to solve the mystery and, in the process, become something none of them have ever had -- a real family.

I listened to the audiobook and while I loved Del Roy's homey voice, it held a strange quality I can't put my finger on. I don't know if I think he was the right voice for the story, but it was certainly warm and friendly. It felt a little too old for the characters, and their dialogue was very adult, so that didn't help.

The story itself is intriguing and filled with twists, turns and puzzlers that kids will love figuring out. There were a couple of spots where the pacing slowed too much for me, but in the end I thoroughly enjoyed it. So much so that I went right to my public library website and reserved a copy of the sequel: The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey. 

This one gets an enthusiastic four bookmarks! Let me know if you've read it and what you thought!

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague (book 3)

Let me start by saying that Brandon Mull is one of my favorite authors ever, and I have immensely enjoyed every single book I've read by him. On top of that, the concept behind the Fablehaven series is just fantastic in my opinion. It's the kind of series that has "legs," as we say in the ad biz. You could tell just by reading the first installment that the storyline could go anywhere, which is cool. So I went into reading Book 3 in the series with very high expectations -- and was not disappointed. 

Mull picks up where the story left off in Book 2 and keeps painting layer after layer in this wonderful world he has created. Fablehaven is under a strange spell of darkness that is infecting all the creatures of light -- not good. We get a glimpse at what some of the other preserves are like and Seth seems to have learned some lessons from his experiences in Book 2. Both his and Kendra's characters are even more developed. We meet new (or old depending on how you look at it) members of the Knights, uncover new (and old) secrets, plus get a clearer look at who are allies and who are not. My schedule forced me to read this book in fits and starts, and it says a lot about a story that I was not only able to pick back up after a reading hiatus and still be enthusiastic about it, but that I kept feeling anxious to get back to the story when away. 

I think the Fablehaven series keeps getting better with each book -- a rarity in a series. I am already looking forward to the next installment (although since he's still writing it, there's a long wait.) I highly recommend this entire series (the ten-year-old boys I know especially enjoy it). A rarely given 5 bookmarks for this one. Loved it!

Review #3 -- Nick of Time by Ted Bell

This was one of those books that I judged by its cover. That and the obvious subject matter of time travel (a favorite of mine). I was very excited to read it, and it didn't completely disappoint. It is definitely geared toward boys, I would say more like 13 years and up. The subject matter can't help but contain violence and some disturbing concepts, so not for the easily freaked out.

Nick is a sailor at heart, and he lives on a quaint little island in the English Channel. In a lighthouse. Okay, I love lighthouses. The idea of living in one is really cool... and Bell makes it quaint and not creepy, which was great (they have the potential to be creepy, dontcha think?) In the early days of WWII, before England was officially at war, rumors were flying about this amazing submarine the Nazi's had apparently invented. Nick ends up spotting one, and nothing is the same after that.

He and his little sister get embroiled in an adventure filled with tense moments -- discovering the secret hideout of the famous island recluse, run-ins with infamous Nazi's and pirates alike, and secret missions from Winston Churchill himself. 

Bell is a former ad guy, and much like another famous ad guy turned novelist (James Patterson), he knows how to hook an audience and string them along page after page. I enjoyed this read, but a fan of war I'm not. There was a little too much detail in the battles, but I can see teenage boys loving it. 

It's pretty obvious there's a book two in the works, which I'd probably read just to see where Bell takes Nick next and if/how he plans to link this series with his Alex Hawke series...

I give it 3.75 bookmarks. Visit www.tedbellbooks.com. He posted his interview with Glenn Beck, about what a great book it is for boys.  Check it out!