Nick and Tesla's Super-Cyborg Gadget Glove by Bob Pflugfelder

Nick and Tesla's Super-Cyborg Gadget Glove by Bob Pflugfelder

2014, Quirk Books

Series: Book 4 of Nick and Tesla

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Synopsis: Einstein is running amok! Darwin is losing his head! The science museum in Half Moon Bay is in big trouble because its robotic replicas of history’s greatest scientists keep going kablooey! As 11-year-old amateur inventors Nick and Tesla Holt try to uncover the cause, they’ll need to keep adding all-new gadgets to their latest creation, a customized super-cyborg glove. Follow the action, and then follow the illustrated instructions to build your own gadget glove with four incredible functions: LED signal light, emergency alarm, sound recorder, and UV secret-message revealer!

The Good: I love educational series for kids where they can learn while being entertained. Instead of history or mythology, this series focuses on science, technology, and engineering which are rarely - if ever - topics kids find in fiction. Mixed with a kid-friendly mystery, this series continues to be fun that will appeal to book lovers and hesitant-readers alike.

The Bad: My complaints are the same with every book in this series. The story is fine and characters are fine, but the words are off. The phrasing is awkward. There is no flow. The grammar is correct, but it's as though the words are sputtering along instead of being a smooth ride.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

2010, Disney Hyperion

Series: Book 1 of The Heroes of Olympus

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Synopsis: Jason has a problem. He doesn’t remember anything before waking up on a school bus holding hands with a girl. Apparently he has a girlfriend named Piper. His best friend is a kid named Leo, and they’re all students in the Wilderness School, a boarding school for “bad kids”, as Leo puts it. What he did to end up here, Jason has no idea — except that everything seems very wrong.

Piper has a secret. Her father, a famous actor, has been missing for three days, and her vivid nightmares reveal that he’s in terrible danger. Now her boyfriend doesn’t recognize her, and when a freak storm and strange creatures attack during a school field trip, she, Jason, and Leo are whisked away to someplace called Camp Half-Blood. What is going on?

Leo has a way with tools. His new cabin at Camp Half-Blood is filled with them. Seriously, the place beats Wilderness School hands down, with its weapons training, monsters, and fine-looking girls. What’s troubling is the curse everyone keeps talking about, and that a camper’s gone missing. Weirdest of all, his bunkmates insist they are all—including Leo—related to a god.

The Good: When I first heard of this series, I had wondered how Riordan wold make it work after bringing the Greek gods to life. I couldn't see how it would possibly work, as the mythologies are so interrelated. I shouldn't have worried. If I know anything by now, I know that Riordan has an uncanny ability to make world work within one another. That he can take something as huge as an entire cultural mythology and make it work in relation to our world. If he can do that, of course he can mess Greek and Roman mythology into something connected, yet existing outside one another. Going in, I at least thought I knew how Riordan would portray his hero Jason. I was wrong there as well. Jason isn't another Percy Jackson. He's someone else entirely and his journey seems to be working out in an wholly different fashion. The continuation of Camp Halfblood didn't seem all that possibly when the Percy Jackson series ended, but again, I was wrong. Riordan continues the world he created, yet makes it more - adding to it in unexpected ways and only enriching it. Fans of Percy Jackson will be blown away by this series if this initial book is any indication. I plan on devouring the entire thing at once.

The Bad: Not a thing.

The Curse of the King by Peter Lerangis

The Curse of the King by Peter Lerangis

2015, HarperCollins

Series: Book 4 of Seven Wonders

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Synopsis: THREE BATTLES
Thirteen-year-old Jack McKinley and his friends have already defeated the Colossus of Rhodes, visited Ancient Babylon, and outfoxed legions of undead all to recover three of the lost Loculi. But if they don’t unearth the last four Loculi soon, the powers that made these victories possible will overwhelm the Select—and destroy the world.

TWO RIVALS
Not only do Jack and his friends have to battle these seven ancient wonders, but they also have to contend with the Massa, who have taken over the Karai Institute and convinced Marco to switch sides. Outnumbered, underequipped, and growing weary, Jack, Cass, and Aly soldier on to find the long-lost Statue of Zeus.

ONE ENEMY
But as time is running out, our heroes must confront gods, relive old battles, and face down their greatest enemy yet—their destiny. Old enemies become new friends and sudden victories turn to certain defeats as the time nears for everything to change. The stakes grow impossibly high in this latest adventure from master storyteller Peter Lerangis.

The Good: The character interaction was magnificent in this installment of the series. More than anything, the kids just being together was the most entertaining aspect of the book. A lot of surprises in this book, more so than any other so far. The Curse of the King was an emotional book, something I wasn't quite expecting. Very fast paced, a lot going on, but easy to follow. 

The Bad: I mentioned the parents in my review of the last book. They remain beyond belief. I also would have liked a bit more focus on the Statue of Zeus. It is the main goal of the novel and was very much relegated to the background for the majority of the book.

The Tomb of Shadows by Peter Lerangis

 The Tomb of Shadows by Peter Lerangis

2014, HarperCollins

Series: Book 3 of Seven Wonders

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Synopsis: Percy Jackson meets Indiana Jones in the New York Times bestselling adventure Seven Wonders! The Tomb of Shadows is the third in a seven-book series by master storyteller Peter Lerangis. This sequel to the bestselling Lost in Babylon and The Colossus Rises chronicles the adventures of Jack McKinley and his friends in a life-or-death race to the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. In the rubble of this Wonder of the Ancient World, they have to face down their own demons and engage in an epic battle with foes long gone. But when promises are broken, blood is spilled—and the Select are left with no choice but to destroy the one thing that might have saved them all.

The Good:  Right on par with the previous books in the series. Adventure, lots of action, lots of intrigue and never knowing who to trust. A good, fast paced read with great characters and a little education thrown in - this time with the Mausoleum in Halicarnassus. Excellently written and destined to wow middle grade readers.

The Bad: Kids aren't going to care (I'd imagine), but Jack's parents in these books are beyond unrealistic. Mom's been making choices that are suspect since he was a baby and Dad is irrationally helpful to his cause. All of this is supposedly due to his ticking time bomb of genes, but would parents really blindly flail all over the place in the hopes that someone else may have an answer? Especially if this bending over backwards to find a cure took them away from the child they were trying to save in the first place? Or worse, enabling his repeated attempts to risk his life for a chance you have no reason to believe in?

Lost in Babylon by Peter Lerangis

Lost in Babylon by Peter Lerangis

2013, HarperCollins

Series: Book 2 of Seven Wonders

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Synopsis: The adventure continues as Jack and his friends travel to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon in the pulse-pounding second title in the Seven Wonders series.

With Marco gone and the first Loculus lost, Jack, Cass, and Ally are no closer to saving themselves (or the world) than when they first arrived at the Karai Institute. But when Bhegad tracks down Marco deep in the desert, the kids are off on the next leg of their quest-to the ancient city of Babylon. There the kids find themselves faced with a daunting choice that makes them question everything they've learned so far. It's a gut wrenching decision, but what the kids don't realize is that it's also a trap. Surprises pile on surprises until a long-lost figure from Jack's past returns, and the kids find themselves forced to engineer an escape that might just turn out to be a different kind of trap altogether....

The Good: These books are so fun and educational. Even as an adult, I learn some new-to-me history in each one. This installation even had a big surprise that totally threw me. Fast paced, yet easy to follow, these books are perfect for the middle school crowd.

The Bad: Dreams. I hate dream sequences. I find them annoying and confusing to the story as a whole, but that's more a general personal preference issue rather than a problem specific to this book.

Seven Wonders Journals: The Select and The Orphan by Peter Lerangis

Seven Wonders Journals: The Select and The Orphan by Peter Lerangis

2014, HarperCollins

Series: Novellas in the Seven Wonders series

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Synopsis: The Seven Wonders adventures continue in this print bind-up of The Select and The Orphan. The Select tells the story of thirteen-year-old Burt Wenders, the first documented carrier of the G7W gene, and his fated voyage to the island that would eventually come to house the Karai Institute. In The Orphan, learn the story of Daria, orphaned at a young age and enslaved by the Babylonians, and her valiant battle to escape the only city she's ever called home. These titles are together in print for the first time ever.

The Good: The background information provided by these novellas will entertain hardcore series fans. Those who want to know the beginnings of the world the series is set in will find these exactly what they're looking for.

The Bad: There really isn't enough new information in these stories to warrant them necessary to casual fans. Sadly, they aren't all that interesting either. They are very loosely related to the current storyline in the books, focusing on other characters. Novellas only really work for casual readers when they feature a well-known, beloved character.

Nick and Tesla's Secret Agent Gadget Battle by Bob Pflugfelder

Nick and Tesla's Secret Agent Gadget Battle by Bob Pflugfelder

2014, Quirk Books

Series: Book 3 of Nick and Tesla

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Rating

Synopsis: In this third installment of the series, 11-year-old whiz-kids Nick and Tesla discover that someone in the quiet town of Half Moon Bay has placed their beloved Uncle Newt under electronic surveillance—but who is spying on him, and why? To expose the secret agent, Nick and Tesla build all kinds of outrageous contraptions. Throughout the book, the narrative is interrupted by blueprints and instructions so that budding young inventors can follow along. Science and electronics have never been so much fun!

The Good: This is definitely the best book in the series so far. The kids are being spied on and they have to find out who it is that they can't trust. The book was full of fun and educational science/spy gadgets kids and build themselves. The mystery a lot more entertaining in this book than some of the others, perhaps because it hit so close to home for the characters.

The Bad: The writing still isn't perfect or easy to get through but the story definitely makes up for it in this instance.

Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Rampage by Bob Pflugfelder

Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Rampage by Bob Pflugfelder

2014, Quirk Books

Series: Book 2 of Nick and Tesla

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Synopsis: When a rash of robberies hits the town of Half Moon Bay, 11-year-old sleuths Nick and Tesla are determined to catch the criminals—but to do so, they'll have to build a host of new gadgets and gizmos!

In this robot-themed follow-up to Nick and Tesla's High-Voltage Danger Lab, the brother-and-sister duo build four different droids out of ordinary household objects—and illustrated instructions are included throughout the story, so you can build them, too! Make bristlebots that buzz, hoverbots that float above the ground, battlebots that duke it out, and more!

Can Nick and Tesla catch the criminal mastermind—and foil his army of rampaging robots—before it's too late?

The Good: This book had a really fun mystery and lots of great robots kids can make. The instructions and diagrams are easy to follow. Nick and Tesla's escapades in Half Moon Bay continue to entertain. And things are just starting to heat up in the overall mystery of Nick and Tesla's parents.

The Bad: The wording in this book is a lot like the last one. While the vocabulary is basic enough, the phrasing is off. If it is noticeable to me, it will be frustrating to beginner readers who are getting the words right, but not quite understanding the concepts being discussed.

Nick and Tesla's High Voltage Danger Lab by Bob Pflugfelder

Nick and Tesla's High Voltage Danger Lab by Bob Pflugfelder

2013, Quirk Books

Series: Book 1 of Nick and Tesla

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Synopsis: Nick and Tesla are bright 11-year-old siblings with a knack for science, electronics, and getting into trouble. When their parents mysteriously vanish, they’re sent to live with their Uncle Newt, a brilliant inventor who engineers top-secret gadgets for a classified government agency. It’s not long before Nick and Tesla are embarking on adventures of their own—engineering all kinds of outrageous MacGyverish contraptions to save their skin: 9-volt burglar alarms, electromagnets, mobile tracking devices, and more. Readers are invited to join in the fun as each story contains instructions and blueprints for five different projects.

The Good: This book is such a cool endeavor. The kids are smart, make awesome things and save the day. I loved how this book made science fun. I also loved the experiments and how they included instructions with pictures for readers to be able to try them out on their own. And there was a cliffhanger that definitely enticed me to get right into reading the next book.

The Bad: The actual writing isn't all that great. The sentences were clunky. There was no flow to them at all, so that I had to go back and reread sections a few times to understand what was really going on. I can't even imagine how frustrating that would be for a young reader attempting to read this book given how annoying it was for me.

The Ghoul Next Door by Lisi Harrison

The Ghoul Next Door by Lisi Harrison

2011, Poppy

Series: Book 2 of Monster High

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Rating

Synopsis: Cleopatra de Nile
- New pet snake
- Has Deuce--the hottest guy in school--all warapped up
- Herve Leger bandage dress, strappy gold platforms

Cleo was the queen bee of the RADs, the normies, and everyone in between at Merston High. But now it's "Frankie this" and "Melody that" . . . these new girls sure know how to get her lashes in a tangle. When Cleo lands a golden Teen Vogue photo op for her friends, everything seems to be back on track . . . until they bail to be in some film . . . Frankie and Melody's film! Can't a royal get some loyal?

Frankie Stein
Frankie lost her head over Brett once and vows never to do it again. Not that she has a choice: Bekka is clinging to her guy like plastic wrap. But when Brett comes up with a plan that could help the RADs live free, sparks fly, and Bekka will stop at nothing to put out the flames . . . even if it means destroying the entire monster community.

Melody Carver
The clock is tick-tick-ticking. Melody has a serious deadline to save her boyfriend, Jackson, from being exposed by the vengeance-seeking Bekka. But Cleo is making it royally difficult for the normie while threatening her acceptance into the RADs' exclusive group . . . a group that Melody suspects she has more in common with than she ever thought.

The Good: This series is really starting to grow on me. The characters are fun and their situations are both fantasy based, as well as being easily relatable in the real world. Prejudice and fear are covered well without being heavy handed. There is a message, clear, but not told in some boring downer type of way. The ending is fantastic and really makes you want to continue the series.

The Bad: Let's not kid ourselves, any reader who can read on this level already knows that sexting is. Yes, there is a passing mention of it in the book and yes, some parents are going to be uncomfortable with it being there. This will prevent some readers from being allowed to read the book, and it's a shame that they'll miss out on the fun because of something that isn't pertinent to the story line.

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan

2009, Disney Hyperion Books for Children

Series: Book 5 of Percy Jackson and the Olympians

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Synopsis: All year the half-bloods have been preparing for battle against the Titans, knowing the odds of victory are grim. Kronos's army is stronger than ever, and with every god and half-blood he recruits, the evil Titan's power only grows. While the Olympians struggle to contain the rampaging monster Typhon, Kronos begins his advance on New York City, where Mount Olympus stands virtually unguarded. Now it's up to Percy Jackson and an army of young demigods to stop the Lord of Time.

The Good: The Last Olympian wrapped up Percy's story arc perfectly while leaving things open for another character to take over at a later date (which I believe is exactly what Riordan went on to do.) Everything pertaining to Percy and his friends here was covered, as well as the current struggle between the gods and the titans. I especially loved how the love triangle was wrapped up, with a great explanation as to why things worked out the way they did.

The Bad: There was a little too much action in this book. While that's to be expected in the final book in a series, it sort of deadened the excitement for me. The other books in the series mixed action with introspection and educational fact and I felt that The Last Olympian sort of lost everything else the series was before in favor of an explosive ending.

Pandemic Survival by Ann Love and Jane Drake

Pandemic Survival by Ann Love and Jane Drake

2013, Tundra Books

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Rating

Synopsis: The Black Death. Yellow Fever. Smallpox. History is full of gruesome pandemics, and surviving those pandemics has shaped our society and way of life. Every person today is alive because of an ancestor who survived--and surviving our current and future pandemics, like SARS, AIDS, bird flu or a new and unknown disease, will determine our future. Pandemic Survival presents in-depth information about past and current illnesses; the evolution of medicine and its pioneers; cures and treatments; strange rituals and superstitions; and what we're doing to prevent future pandemics. Full of delightfully gross details about symptoms and fascinating facts about bizarre superstitious behaviors, Pandemic Survival is sure to interest even the most squeamish of readers.

The Good: I really liked this book. It was fun and super informative. I didn't even realize it was for kids until I noticed it kept using school situations as examples and mentioned poop a lot more than the average adult book. The pictures were great as well and I would recommend this for most age groups, including adults. Gross and educational - the perfect mix.

The Bad: A little too dry in places to really hold a kids attention, but written for that audience causing adults to feel out of place with the school age references.

The Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost

The Paladin Prophecy by Mark Frost

2012, Random House Books for Young Readers

Series: Book 1 of The Paladin Prophecy

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Rating

Synopsis: Will West is careful to live life under the radar. At his parents' insistence, he's made sure to get mediocre grades and to stay in the middle of the pack on his cross-country team. Then Will slips up, accidentally scoring off the charts on a nationwide exam.

Now Will is being courted by an exclusive prep school . . . and is being followed by men driving black sedans. When Will suddenly loses his parents, he must flee to the school. There he begins to explore all that he's capable of--physical and mental feats that should be impossible--and learns that his abilities are connected to a struggle between titanic forces that has lasted for millennia.

The Good: The Paladin Prophecy is a gender-neutral fantasy adventure novel that has potential for many interesting sequels.

The Bad: Will's obviously different with the special abilities and high test scores, yet it takes forever to find out what his deal is. Desperately wanting to know usually engages the reader, but this time it just drove me insane. All I could focus on was the why of things instead of actually experiencing the story. I couldn't care about anything other than figuring out why Will was capable of the things he could do.

The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis

The Colossus Rises by Peter Lerangis

2013, HarperCollins

Series: Book 1 of Seven Wonders

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Synopsis: One Boy

Jack McKinley is an ordinary kid with an extraordinary problem. In a few months, he’s going to die.

One Mission

Jack needs to find seven magic loculi that, when combined, have the power to cure him.

One Problem

The loculi are the relics of a lost civilization and haven’t been seen in thousands of years.

Seven Wonders

Because they’re hidden in the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Good: I had no idea what to expect when I opened The Colossus Rises. I was a happy to find a middle grade adventure story with supernatural elements. Or rather, mostly science fiction/superhero elements, rather than paranormal. Jack is a realistic protagonist, asking the important questions and not taking explanations at face value. The series seems poised to teach readers about the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, which I think is awesome as even I, an adult with all my schooling and extracurricular reading, know next to nothing about them.

The Bad: This series is destined to be compared to Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series. I caught myself doing it multiple times while reading The Colossus Rises. There are just as many similar elements as there are themes unique to each series - but, Percy Jackson offers up quite a bit more that would be considered "educational."

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

2005, Puffin

Series: Book 1 of Charlie Bucket

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Synopsis: Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last!

But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!

The Good: The book is written well for its intended age group, vocabulary and structure-wise. And at least I couldn't hear the creepy Oompa Loompa's singing.

The Bad: I'm probably in the minority here, but I just did not like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (or its movies). Grandpa can't get out of bed to help the family, but if there's chocolate involved he's all spry and nimble? And sure, Charlie is the hero to root for, but what are your other options when all of the other children are atrocious? The book was definitely a cute idea, but just failed to deliver on just about every level for me.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Coraline by Neil Gaiman

2006, William Morrow Paperbacks

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Rating

Synopsis: Coraline's often wondered what's behind the locked door in the drawing room. It reveals only a brick wall when she finally opens it, but when she tries again later, a passageway mysteriously appears. Coraline is surprised to find a flat decorated exactly like her own, but strangely different. And when she finds her "other" parents in this alternate world, they are much more interesting despite their creepy black button eyes. When they make it clear, however, that they want to make her theirs forever, Coraline begins a nightmarish game to rescue her real parents and three children imprisoned in a mirror. With only a bored-through stone and an aloof cat to help, Coraline confronts this harrowing task of escaping these monstrous creatures.

The Good: Coraline is rather imaginative. It sort of showcases the dangers of boredom and idle curiosity. If written for an older audience, it quite possibly could have worked better for me as the story did have its merits.

The Bad: Weird. Not good weird, either. Creepy, but not exactly in way it's meant to be. I really like Gaiman's writing style, but Coraline wasn't working for me. And I can't imagine young readers really loving this either. It would give my 12 year old nightmares.

The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer

The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer

2012, Hyperion Book CH

Series: Book 8 of Artemis Fowl

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Synopsis: Seemingly nothing in this world daunts the young criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl. In the fairy world, however, there is a small thing that has gotten under his skin on more than one occasion: Opal Koboi. In "The Last Guardian," the evil pixie is wreaking havoc yet again. This time his arch rival has reanimated dead fairy warriors who were buried in the grounds of Fowl Manor. Their spirits have possessed Artemis's little brothers, making his siblings even more annoying than usual. The warriors don't seem to realize that the battle they were fighting when they died is long over. Artemis has until sunrise to get the spirits to vacate his brothers and go back into the earth where they belong. Can he count on a certain LEPrecon fairy to join him in what could well be his last stand?

The Good: I'm a long-time fan of the Artemis Fowl series, but I didn't know what I was getting into with The Last Guardian. This is THE LAST BOOK in the series (not sure how that escaped my notice as I waited for its release) and it's written as such. Opal is back, ready to end the world with her new minions - warrior zombie/ghost types that are like nothing I've ever ready. Even the twins get into the fight! The action was non-stop and super emotional. The stakes were high throughout and while I'm sad to see the series end, this was a very good way to go out.

The Bad: I would have loved a little more at the end. It wasn't abrupt, really, but I generally like when MG and YA series give me a glimpse into the future since the characters are still pretty young when it ends. The ending was so powerful and game-changing, I think seeing a bit more on how it was dealt with would have been a sweet ending.

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer

2003, Disney Press

Series: Book 1 of Artemis Fowl

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Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl is a millionaire, a genius—and, above all, a criminal mastermind. But even Artemis doesn't know what he's taken on when he kidnaps a fairy, Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon Unit. These aren't the fairies of bedtime stories—they're dangerous!

The Good: Artemis Fowl was a really easy to get into book. Artemis is a genius, making him relateable to adults as well as children. Better yet, he's a convincing genius. By that, I mean doesn't seem to be a genius just for the sake of the book. It integral to who he is, the cause for his personality - good and bad. It explains why he's different than other children and his intelligence really drives the plot. The fairies in Artemis Fowl aren't ethereal or evil. They just are, plain as that. I loved the cute, yet smart, wordplay in this book. A fairy unit called LEPrecon? Funny. Colfer adds a coded message spanning the entire book, on the bottom of each page. What it says, I have no idea, but I do know it's decipherable for those who enjoy decoding. I loved this book on its own, as well a great beginning to a fantastic series.

The Bad: Nothing. Why didn't they have books this awesome when I was a kid?

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

2008, Disney Hyperion Books

Series: Book 4 of Percy Jackson & the Olympians

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Synopsis: When demonic cheerleaders invade his high school, Percy Jackson hurries to Camp Half Blood, from whence he and his demigod friends set out on a quest through the Labyrinth, while the war between the Olympians and the evil Titan lord Kronos draws near.

Why read: Reading the series

What impressed me: I have such absolute love for this series. It continues to impress me with the entertaining manner it teaches mythology, much more than just the basics. The Battle of the Labyrinth delves much deeper into the subject than anything I ever learned in school and I'm loving every minute of it. Percy continues to grow and change, taking on more and having to really start dealing the the hard decisions of life, both demigod and mortal. He continues to gain the respect of his elders and there's a scene with his father that is just completely perfect.

What disappointed me: What is Annabeth's problem? Girlish jealousy or something more? It's seriously starting to grate on my nerves.

Recommended: Most definitely. This series keeps getting better and better.

Continue series: How could I not? The end is close and I need to know what happens.

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

1985, Farrar Straus Giroux

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Rating

Synopsis: Doomed to--or blessed with--eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. 

But when ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles upon their secret, the Tucks must take her home and explain why living forever at one age is less a blessing that it might seem. Much trouble arises when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune.

Why read: Liked the movie

What impressed me: This was a nice little story, realistic with a bit of fantasy. Perfect for middle grade readers, with good writing, an interesting story and nothing too frightening as to offend sensitive readers.

What disappointed me: The movie was so much better and I wasn't even a huge fan of the movie. The dynamics between Winnie and Jesse weren't weirdly creepy in the movie since she was older. The book had a bit more tension, but that was most likely caused by the modern times I was reading it in. The tension was caused by my constant wondering which one of the adults was a pedophile, murderer, etc. It's almost inconceivable to read about a little girl who is taken by strangers who don't have a horrible agenda hidden away.

Recommended: Sure, if you didn't see the movie.