Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague

Fablehaven: Grip of the Shadow Plague, Brandon Mull, 487 pages

Brandon Mull's third entry into the Fablehaven series is an interesting addition. It starts with dividing the two child protagonists, Kendra and Seth, to put them both on differing quests within the world. Their stories come back together about halfway through the book, to combat a plague that is destroying the Fablehaven sanctuary. Unfortunately, the story at feels a bit too predictable at times, though the pacing is well executed. While there is time travel within the book, it does not create any plot holes or paradox inducing moments, which is nice and well thought out. Overall, a very enjoyable read.

Rise of the Evening Star

Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star, Brandon Mull, 441 pages, 2007

Rise of the Evening Star is the second entry in the Fablehaven series, and Seth and Kendra's entry into the world of Fablehaven continues. While the first book focuses just upon the Fablehaven preserve, Rise of the Evening Star expands upon the world in which it resides. While many of the challenges presented to the protagonists in the first book are self made, in this novel the challenges and foes come from an evil society aligned against the interests of the preserve. The level of intrigue and misdirection created by the antagonists makes for some interesting twists and turns throughout the story, and kept me turning the pages long after I should have gone to sleep for the night.

Fablehaven

Fablehaven, Brandon Mull, 359 Pages

Fablehaven is Brandon Mull's first book in the Fablehaven series, a series that follows the growth of two siblings, Kendra and Seth, as they seek to defend a preserve populated by fairies and other mythical creatures. For those who are fans of young adult series like Harry Potter or Percy Jackson, this is right up their alley. The world built by Mull's book is engaging, and the characters show promise for growth and learning as the series progresses. Kendra and Seth balance each other nicely, and the supporting characters are rich and engaging.

Don't Pigeonhole Me: Two Decades of the Mo Willems Sketch by Mo Willems

Don't Pigeonhole Me: Two Decades of the Mo Willems Sketchbook by Mo Willems, 279 pages.

Mo Willems is known in our house for the Pigeon books: Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog, etc., and the Knufflebunny books. He's also known by my sons for his TV work. We all think he's kind of a genius. It's nice to find that feeling shared and reinforced with this compilation of Willems's drawings and the collection of nice things that famous people have said about the man. It always feels good to stand with the famous.
This is a collection of yearly sketchbooks that Willems put together, at first for zine called Ersatz, and then as an ongoing project to amuse himself and his friends, and as part of his contract with Nickelodeon / Cartoon Network. The Pigeon came out of these annual collections, and he is featured here in an early version of Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, and as the narrator of the excellent story, "The Little Engine Who Couldn't."

Lots of fun. Some of it for grown-ups, but most of it suitable for older children and childish adults.
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