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School Library Journal
Reviewed on May 1, 2013 | Grades 5-up
Gr 7–10—Tom Parking figured his life was too normal for him ever to be whisked off to an alternate world like a character in a book or movie, much as that would please him. Then his estranged father shows up in the guise of Gark and takes him, via the used-clothes donation box, to an unnamed kingdom of salvaged junk to be their Chosen One. When the teen's reception by the king is less than enthusiastic and he winds up being assigned to the ...Log In or Sign Up to Read More
Junior Library Guild
Reviewed on May 1, 2013
A funny and insightful story that successfully combines high school angst and high fantasy heroics. Tom Parking is an endearing and richly portrayed everyboy: he’s awkward around Lindsy, his drama-class crush, and he expects he’ll never get what he secretly wants, which is to become the chosen hero of an endangered world. Tom seems to get his wish when a strange man summons him to a distant kingdom . . . that turns out to be hilariously awful. The magic portal...Log In or Sign Up to Read More