Another Review at MyShelf.Com

The Other Side of Magic, Keyholders 2

by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
Illustrated by Adam Stower

     

In this second book in the keyholder series, Penny and Luke are officially keyholder apprentices—along with their arch-enemy, Natalie. And Natalie is none too happy about it. Although she's already the most gifted of the group at the job, she finds it messy and is sorely disappointed in her magical helper, a rat named Buttercup. She wants a dragon or a unicorn like Luke and Penny have. But things are getting scary in Morgantown as bigger and badder magical creatures are slipping through. Will they be able to protect the real world from the Queen of the Boggarts?

This book has plenty of conflict to keep kids caught up in the story. First, Natalie is giving everyone a pain. Then, Penny and Luke have to deal with the fact that she's better at magic than they are. And finally, they face real danger when a host of hobgoblins break through the hedge, determined to kidnap the young keyholders. So, the plot packs plenty of thrills, but overall, I felt the development dragged a bit. At the end of the book, we're not really particularly further into the keyholder plot than we were at the close of book one—we've just gotten to battle a few more creepies and gotten a double dose of annoying Natalie. The kids are faced with the chore they need to accomplish, but other than recognizing it, they don't seem to progress much. Still, there's plenty happening, even if it doesn't all seem particularly purposeful to advancing the series.

The Book

Starscape, A Tom Doherty Associates Book
April 28, 2009
Paperback, reviewed as ARC
0765359839 /978-0765359834
Children’s Fantasy / Ages 4 - 8
More at Amazon.com
Excerpt
NOTE:

The Reviewer

Jan Fields
Reviewed 2009
NOTE: Reviewer Jan Fields is the editor of Kid Magazine Writers emagazine and has written dozens of stories and articles for the children's magazine market.
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