Language: PG (2 swears 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (creature violence, threats of being eaten, terrible injuries, fights with knives and swords, a murderer, deaths, talk of blood - seems like a lot buts it's not gory or excessive or even gross)
BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL
APPEALS TO: MANY
It's very difficult to write a short summary of a story so beautiful and complex, so please excuse my very limited review. Mal and Christopher are children, Mal has a special coat that helps her to fly. She lives in the Archipelago which is like a animal preserve for magical creatures. Christopher's grandfather is the guardian, who watches the regular world side of the entrance to the Archipelago and protects it. Christopher will be Guardian some day, as was his mother. But then Christopher notices an injured Griffen near the lake, and Mal comes looking for help. The 2 children head to the Archipelago together to avoid a murderer, and try to stop whatever is killing the last magical place on earth.
I have heard about this book for more than a year - the hype is correct, it's wonderful! An amazing adventure for a couple of brave and determined kids, who get just enough help to protect them, but not so much that they aren't the heroes. So many magical creatures, many I remember from the stories of my childhood, but many more as well. I appreciated the Bestiary at the end, with descriptions and illustrations of the impossible creatures. It is a bit violent, but not graphic or bloody - yes there are some life threatening injuries, and deaths of people and creatures we care about and a horrible villain, but upper elementary and middle school readers are going to love this. I have a couple of copies in my library already and it will be my gift of choice to the younger teens who want a book for their birthday. Christopher and Mal are white.
Lisa Librarian
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