Side note: I just finished Beyonders: A World Without Heroes by Brandon Mull, author of the great juvie series Fablehaven. I think Mull has outdone himself, and I cannot wait to read the next installment in this new series! Since Ruby reviewed it a few weeks back, I’ve added my thoughts to hers–check out this amazing, incredible new fantasy (just released last week)!

The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

(Review based on ARC of book.)

There seems to be an abundance of strong middle-reader fantasy books lately! John Stephen’s debut novel, The Emerald Atlas, has a great magical tingle to it. If you combined the Chronicles of Narnia, A Series of Unfortunate Events, Harry Potter, Fablehaven, and the Lord of the Rings, to name a few, you would have a really good feel for the spunky fun, adventure, and depth of The Emerald Atlas.

Atlas features three “orphaned” siblings–Kate, Michael, and Emma–who were long ago sent away for safe keeping by parents they hardly remember, and they are still waiting, years later, for their parents’ return. Kate and her siblings find themselves shuttled from orphanage to orphanage until they end up in a forgotten-looking mansion in a desolate-looking town with a strange old man as their caregiver. Upon searching the house, they find a magic book that resembles an album, and when Michael puts a picture in it, all three kids are magically transferred to the time and location of the photo! (more…)