Monday, April 7, 2014

Northwood by Brian Falkner

You can tell there is going to be a bit of silliness in this story when the main character Cecilia's last name is Undergarment and she lives in a balloon house...

Capstone Young Readers sent me an ARC of this book for review (thank you).  It is now available at your local bookstore, so grab a copy for your young reader of 9-13.  This is a fantasy adventure that they will have fun reading.

Cecilia has been told her entire life to stay away from the Northwoods.  People who go in there never come out again.  She'd never willingly go in there, but when her crazy neighbor ends up attacking her house and her balloon bedroom is afloat she has no choice.

It all began with a sad and neglected dog.  The neighbor's wife had left him, this was her dog, and he ignores it and doesn't even feed it right.  She can't handle that so she rescues him.  The neighbor however, has a different point of view.  He thinks she's stealing the dog!  In retaliation, he uses a piece of heavy equipment to attack the house and dislodges Cecilia's from the house.

This is where it gets really exciting!  You can guess where her bedroom floats to, can't you?  You're right, it's the Northwoods, where tarblood trees grow and black lions roam.  What's Cecilia to do now?

As if this isn't the worst thing that could happen to her, she ends up in a secret hideaway where everyone works and there are no electronics.  She goes from being a spoiled child to being a slave in nothing flat.  What I like about Cecilia is that she doesn't give up.  She snoops about with her friends she's made there and finds information about the King that proves he's a false King.  She also refuses to give up even when she's thrown to the lions.  How can you not admire her?

It's exciting, fast paced and an adventure you won't soon forget.  I'm wishing I could have a black lion for a pet.  I don't want him to eat me, I want to pet him.  Best forget about that idea, I suppose.

Why not see what impresses your child most about this book?  Which character, animal or thing do they find the most fascinating about this story?

Happy reading.

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