Bookverdict.com

Gr 4–8—Like Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, this story begins with three orphans in dire circumstances. Like Harry Potter, the story contains magic that grows as the characters mature. Like Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, there is a rescue mission and travel through both time and space. And like J. R. R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, there are blustery yet valiant dwarves and evil magical creatures. So yes, John Stephens's story (Knopf, 2011) might be described as derivative. But, the book is unique enough to draw the same audience that appreciates the other ser...Log In or Sign Up to Read More

Ten years after being separated from their parents, three orphans, Kate, Michael, and Emma, are sent to live at a peculiar institution in the town of Cambridge Falls. This first book in a series introduces the siblings' involvement in an epic battle between good and evil magic as they discover a powerful book called the Atlas that send...Log In or Sign Up to Read More