Magical Pick: Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes--A Must-Read

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes
by Jonathan Auxier
Amulet
2011
400 pages

Visit The Scop, the author's website

Beguiling, mesmerizing, totally transporting, and inventive, Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is a quick-paced, intelligent novel in the capable hands of a master storyteller. Auxier deftly blends fantasy and obscure and strange words from bygone days with a substantial plot.

Peter Nimble is a ten-year old blind orphan raised to be a master thief and pick-pocket. He happens upon a traveling haberdasher (hat salesman) and steals a box which he later discovers holds three pairs of magical eyes. When he puts on the first pair, he is transported to another world entirely where he learns his quest: to rescue a long vanished kingdom from a horrible, evil king who just so happens to be an imposter to the throne. With his "enchanted cat-horse-man creature" sidekick, Peter ventures off on his journey.

From the fantastic cover to the imaginative chapter titles, this novel shows a writing finesse not seen since the Harry Potter series. From utter absurdities to the well-imagined characters, this novel gives a wink and a nod to Charles Dickens. Auxier is a true scop (the title of his website)--a scop is a storyteller or minstrel.

Readers who loved Harry Potter are in for a real treat. Peter Nimble is a feast for the eyes and imagination sure to have readers chuckling to themselves.

Highly, highly recommended ages 10-up. Publisher recommends ages 10-up, but the younger readers may have some trouble unless they are accomplished readers.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

YA Thriller

Read Chapter One here

Girl Stolen
by April Henry
Henry Holt and Company, 2010.
213 pages





Girl Stolen is a YA thriller that delivers. It's a real page-turner with a twist. Cheyenne Wilder is having a bad day. She has pneumonia and is waiting in the Escalade for her stepmother to fill a prescription for her. Feeling ill, Cheyenne is resting under a blanket in the back seat when her whole world goes crazy!

Someone gets in the SUV and starts driving. Cheyenne knows it's not her stepmother--she can smell cigarette smoke but her stepmother doesn't smoke. Cheyenne can sense the intruder but can't see him. You see, Cheyenne is not only ill, she is legally blind.

Griffin thought he was stealing a "sweet" ride but gets more than he bargained for. How was he to know there was a sixteen-year old blind girl with pneumonia in the back seat? Now he's not just a car thief--he's a kidnapper. If Roy finds out, Griffin is in real trouble.

Two sixteen-year old kids caught up in a crime gone horribly wrong. Readers will root for Cheyenne--she's spunky, tough, resilient, and smart. Readers will yearn for Griffin to do the right thing. Bestselling author April Henry has another winner on her hands.

Highly recommended for YA collections. Grades 7-high school. This novel is available September 28, 2010.

FTC required disclosure: This book was mailed to me by the author as part of a mail chain. I dedided to review it after reading it. In no way is my review influenced by the Advance Readers Copy furnished by the author. I mailed the book copy to the next reviewer on the list.




Highly recommended for YA collections. Grades 7-high school. This novel is available September 28, 2010.