Fans of Funke's Inkheart

Have you read Cornelia Funke's Inkheart trilogy? Get ready for the film, which is to be released on January 23. Click here to read about the cast and other goodies.

If you haven't read Inkheart, here's a brief summary.

Twelve-year-old Meggie has lived with her father, a book binder, for many years without knowing that he has kept a secret from her. He can "read" fictional characters to life. One night when Meggie was little, he brought several characters from a book, called Inkheart, into his living room. At the same time as the characters appeared, Meggie's mother disappeared. This is why Mo has never told Meggie about his talent. Unfortunately, his secret won't be kept in the dark for long, soon Dustfinger, one of the characters brought into this world by Mo, pays them a visit. He also brings with him a warning, which can have dire consequences. Capricorn, a powerful and evil villain, is on Mo's trail and he will stop at nothing until he has forced Mo to "read" several more characters out of Inkheart; characters which will bring death and dread to everyone around. The only chance of survival is to find the author of Inkheart and have him pen a new ending, but will Meggie and Mo find him in time?

I don't think we're in Kansas anymore...

Wilson, N.D. (2007). 100 Cupboards. 289 pages. Grades 4-6.

Henry's life changes dramatically after his parents are kidnapped. He leaves Boston, where he lived a sheltered life, and moves in with his Aunt, Uncle and their children in Kansas, where he can roam freely and even ride in the open cab of his Uncle's truck. Henry is given a cozy room in the attic, which has a secret waiting for him to discover. When pieces of plaster begin to fall from the wall, Henry finds hidden cabinet doors in all shapes, colors, and sizes. With his cousin, Henrietta, they discover that each door leads to a different world.

The story begins on the slow side, but the excitement picks up once Henry and Henrietta begin wandering through the different worlds. You can find the list and a drawing of the cabinets at the beginning of the book.

Calling all Harry Potter fans!

Neff, Henry H. (2007). The Hound of Rowan. (The Tapestry, bk. 1), 414 pages. Grades 5 -7.


When twelve year old Max stumbles upon a mysterious room at the Art Institute of Chicago, he finds a Celtic tapestry and has a confusing vision. Suddenly, he is the focus of a group of people at Rowan Academy, a secret school for people with magical capabilities. Max chooses to attend this school as an Apprentice (first year) where he learns how to use his magical skills and super-human powers. In addition, he learns that evil continues to lurk around the world and that children like him are being kidnapped by the enemy. After Max is captured by the enemy, he is brought to a crypt in Ireland where the other children are being kept. It is up to him to rescue these children and escape back to Rowan. The second book, The Second Siege, is due out in September.

Fairy Tale Fans

Rodda, Emily (2008). The Key to Rondo. 342 pages. Grades 4-6.

If you enjoy books with fairy tale tie-ins, such as Into the Woods by Lyn Gardner, then this is a book for you!

Leo is given a family heirloom, a music box, which has magic powers. When his cousin, Mimi and her dog, arrive for a visit, she winds the music box four times and opens the door to a magical place called Rondo. The adventure begins when the magic is released. The Blue Queen kidnaps Mimi's dog, which causes Mimi and a reluctant Leo to follow her into Rondo. They must travel through this new place and encounter characters from well-known nursery rhymes and fairy tales in order to rescue Mimi's pet. This is an action-packed adventure with a fast paced story line.

Reviews by Kids!

The Anybodies by N.E Bode (2004).

Have you ever read the Anybodies? It is a great Fiction book about a girl who gets sent to the wrong family at birth, then her real Dad comes to pick her up at the family's house that she had been living at and the two kids switch to see how it goes over the summer. She finds out that her real Dad is an anybody which is a person who can be anybody at anytime. It is a very interesting adventure for Fern. I would recommend this to anybody.

Review by Sophia, age 10.

Fairy tales come alive in this fantastical adventure!

Durst, Sarah Beth (2007). Into the Wild. Grades 5-7.

Twelve year old Julie lives with her single mom, Zel (a.k.a. Rapunzel) who had once upon a time fled from the enchanted forest, known as "the wild", in order to live a somewhat normal life. There are others just like Zel -- Mary from "Mary had a little lamb," the Three Bears, Puss in Boots (he's now Julie's brother) and more. But, when someone makes a wish to release "the wild", it captures characters into their original roles. Julie must rescue her mother and the others before it is too late. Can she manage to escape the fairy tale endings or will she end up in a story of her own? A neat twist is that the setting is right here in Massachusetts!



If you like books with fractured fairy tales, try these titles:

• Buckley, Michael. The Fairy-Tale Detectives . (Sisters Grimm, bk.1)


• Gardner, Lynn. Into the Woods.

A little bit of magic, mixed with realism.

Going, K.L. (2007) The Garden of Eve. 234 pages. Grades 4-6.


Eve loved to listen to her mother's stories and believed that magical things really could happen. After her mother's death, she no longer believe in stories until mysterious things begin happening at an old orchard her father purchased in upstate New York. Within the their first few days in Beaumont, Eve meets a boy who claims to be a ghost and receives a mysterious seed as a gift for her eleventh birthday. When she plants the seed, it takes her and the boy on a strange journey.

Funke, Cornelia (2007). Igraine the Brave. 212 pages. Grades 3-6.



Igraine, who has always wanted to be a knight, is turning twelve tomorrow! But, before the celebrations begin, a horrible knight from the neighboring kingdom attempts to steal her family's singing books and attack their castle. To make things worse, her parents have accidently turned themselves into pigs while using magic to create a present for Igraine. The only way that Igraine can help protect the castle is to turn her parents back to their human form, which means bringing back a giant's hair for the spell. Now Igraine will have to prove herself as a knight, help her parents, and save the castle! Find out if she can return in time to defend her home and celebrate her birthday.

LaFevers, R.L. (2007). Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos. 344 pages. Grades 4-8.

This is an exciting read for anyone who loves historical fiction, mystery, and adventure all rolled into one! Theodosia is a precocious and very intelligent young girl who lives in London at the turn of the 20th century. Her father is the head curator at the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London and her mother is an archaeologist who travels the world looking for interesting artifacts. Theodosia practically lives at the museum and she is the only one who can sense the curses and black magic that are attached to the numerous artificats brought to the museum. She uses Egyptian magic, which she learned from ancient books, to remove the curses and to protect her parents.

When Theo's mother returns with her latest find, the Heart of Egypt, Theo discovers that this amulet has one of the worst curses that she has ever faced. It is so evil that it can destroy the entire British Empire! Follow Theo on her adventure through London and Egypt as she uses all of her knowledge and skills to prevent the amulet from releasing chaos into her world.

Take a Trip to Never-Never Land

Barry, Dave (2006). Escape from the Carnivale. (A Never Land Book). 134 pages. Grades 3-5.



This is the first book of a new series from the author of Peter and the Starcatchers. Little Scallop is a princess of the Mollusk tribe, lives on Mollusk Island and has two mermaids, Aqua and Surf, as friends. Little Scallop doesn’t have many opportunities to have exciting adventures like her warrior brothers, but when Aqua and Surf invite her on a pearl-diving trip, she can’t wait to go! The only problem is that her parents would never let her go, so she sneaks off late in the night with Aqua and Surf. As soon as they leave, the problems begin. They run into a storm and a ship with sailors who want to catch a mermaid. Little Scallop always wanted an adventure, but will she and her friends make it back home?



Levine, Gail Carson (2007). Fairy Haven and the Quest for the Wand. 191 pages. Grades 2-4.

In this thrilling sequel to Fairy Dust and the Quest for the Egg, the three fairies: Rani, Tinker Bell, and Ree must bring the mermaid Soop her wand, as promised, or else their home and all the Never fairies will be swept away in the flood sent by Soop. Beautiful watercolor illustrations accompany the story. This would also make a great read aloud for children who love the world of fairies and magic.

If you enjoy reading about magic and adventure then try Jenny Nimmo's first book in the Charlie Bone Series Midnight for Charlie Bone.
In the first book the reader will become familiar with Charlie Bone who lives with his mother and two grandmothers, Grandma Jones and Grandma Bone. Charlie leads an ordinary life until one day he discovers that he can hear voices in photographs. Grandma Bone, a descendent of the ancient Yewbeam family has been waiting for the day that Charlie discovers that he is“endowed.” Each member of the Yewbeam family is“endowed,” which means that they have a specific magical power. After Charlie’s realization, Grandma Bone contacts her sisters and they agree that Charlie does have a special power and therefore should attend Bloor’s Academy for gifted children. Unhappily, Charlie agrees to attend Bloor’s Academy and discovers that there are other children who also have mysterious powers. Soon Charlie becomes involved in uncovering the mysterious past of a girl who disappeared ten years ago.

This is a great fantasy full of adventure and mysterious occurrences, similar to the Harry Potter series, but not as complex. A great book for children in grades 4-6, but also as a read aloud for younger children who may not be ready for Harry Potter. 401 pp.