Villain Keeper by Laurie McKay - OPTIONAL

McKay, Laurie Villain Keeper (The Last Dragon Charmer), 333 pages.  Harper, 2015.  $17.

Language: G; Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (danger, some fantasy fighting).

Prince Caden’s father woke him in the middle of the night and sent him off on his Paladin quest - what?  No feast or fanfare?  Worse yet, he is plagued by Brynne, an apprentice wizard who has been harassing him since they met  when they were four.  Together they are caught in a trap and sent to another dimension - one without magic.  Now the kids are subjected to a foster mother , school lunch, and law enforcement who think they are crazy.  Another young girl has disappeared and Caden is sure the events are related.  Add to that he is sure that the cafeteria ladies are witches and he knows his teacher was banished from his home dimension for his evil ways.  What is this place they have landed?  Caden and Brynne need to find a way to stay alive, save the girl, and find their way home.

Caden’s naivete and strict adherence to his home mannerisms combined with Brynne’s obvious antipathy for him shouldn’t work, but it does.  The action and adventure is not as rolicking as say Shelby Bach’s Ever Afters series, but student who are persistent will enjoy it.  

EL - OPTIONAL. CIndy, Middle School Librarian, MLS.