By Ella

Alliana has been raised in her stepmother's inn, relegated to menial chores. For years after her father's death, she was able to keep dreaming of fairy tales with the support of Grand-mother Mari, whose tapestries and stories showed Alliana a world beyond their tiny village. But now a year has passed since Grandmother Mari's death, and the only magic left in Alliana's life is the baby nightdragon she discovers she can talk to. She knows better than to think her stepmother will let her attend the Farmlands Ball, her only chance of escaping her small hometown and to be enrolled in the Royal Academy.

​But everything changes when she meets Nela, a young witch who needs her help. For the first time since Grandmother Mari's death, Alliana has a chance to reach the future she's always dreamed of--but if her stepmother finds out, it could doom her to a life trapped at the inn.

Will Alliana be trapped beneath her stepmother's power forever? Or can she still find her own happily ever after?

Alliana, Girl of Dragons is a prequel/companion book to the Eva Evergreen duology (Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch and Eva Evergreen and the Cursed Witch)​​, and if you liked Eva Evergreen, you'll definitely like Alliana too--they share a magical, whimsical world, strong writing, and brilliant characters. I particularly enjoyed how Abe reshapes the Cinderella fairy tale into a story that fits perfectly with the Eva Evergreen books, including several prominent overlapping characters. Once again, the small details of the worldbuilding make the setting come alive, and I felt fully engrossed in Alliana's adventure. I recommend Alliana, Girl of Dragons ​to readers ages ten and up.

​By Ella

Scarlett McCain might go by a different name for every bank she robs, but it's no accident that whether Jane Oakley, Jenny Blackwood, or some other name entirely is plastered across the papers, the red-haired outlaw never ends up behind bars. Whether she's sneaking in under the cover of dark or walking brazenly into the bank manager's office in broad daylight, Scarlett always has a plan, and she's quick enough on her feet that if that doesn't work out, well, she'll just think up a new one. Sure, it's not always easy, but challenges make life more interesting, and everyone besides Scarlett is too afraid of the Wilds that surround the handful of Surviving Towns that she never gets pursued very far.

That is, not until now, when she picks up an optimistic, oblivious boy named Albert Browne from the ruins of a bus crash. Scarlett isn't one for sentimentality--she's survived this long by working alone and moving fast--but she grudgingly agrees to guide Albert to the nearest town.

But what she expected to just be a brief few days before heading out on her next job turn into much more when they're pursued deep into the Wilds after her latest job, and not by the usual unmotivated pack of guards and dogs that she'd expect from the bank she'd robbed. No, these are hardcore, trained hunters who are more than a match even for Scarlett's wit and inginuity. And as they race to outrun their pursuers and the things they aren't telling each other, Scarlett begins to ask herself: what if they aren't looking for her, after all? What if, instead, they're looking for...Albert?

Set in a futuristic, fractured version of modern Britain, The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne is an action-packed, remarkable, and funny story which I absolutely loved. If the opening sentences aren't enough to pull you in, the first chapter surely will; Jonathan Stroud (also the author of the excellent fantasy novel The Amulet of Samarkand, among others) makes Scarlett so improbably relatable and funny, and her narrative so perfectly poised and unique, that I found this book quite simply irresistible. Scarlett and Albert are in many ways polar opposites--Scarlett alert, driven, and sarcastic, and Albert dreamy, hopeful, and oblivious--and so they bounce off each other in a way which feels gratifying and authentic in every possible way, in addition to being absolutely hilarious. When written down, neither of their personalities seem so revolutionary, but the way Stroud pulls them off is, and at no point did my interest lag with them driving the story. The mix of clever twists, action, adventure, and the unusual details of the settings together make the story move quickly and completely absorb the reader, and it's carried wonderfully throughout the book. I highly recommend The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne to readers ages ten and up looking for an awesome and brilliant adventure story.

By Ella

The Arcanum Training Institute is the school for young Marvellers--magic-users from around the world whose power is encompassed in one of the five Paragons, or orders of magic. For centuries, Conjurers have been excluded from the Marveller world, their magic criticized and alienated. But now, Arcanum has opened its doors to Conjurers--and eleven-year-old Ella Durand will be the first to attend. 

Ella has long dreamed of attending Arcanum, and the school itself is all she's ever imagined--full of moving towers, odd enchantments, and delicious food. Even though not everyone is thrilled about Ella's presence at Arcanum, she slowly begins to find her place. But the school--and the Marveller world--has its own secrets, and when a dangerous criminal escapes from a Conjurer prison, it's up to Ella to clear both her name, and that of all Conjurers. 

The Marvellers is a layered, lovely fantasy novel full of strong characters and evocative worldbuilding. I particularly loved Ella and her two friends, Brigit and Jason, a trio who I'm thrilled to spend more time with later in the series! The whole book both embodies and puts a new twist on the classic magic school trope; even with the Marveller world's prejudice towards Conjurers, Arcanum feels like a place anyone could be part of. At the same time, the school has its own mysteries and hard-kept secrets, and its many layers cement it as a spectacular setting--one that is open and welcoming, but remains deeply and believably flawed. I highly recommend The Marvellers to readers ages nine and up, particularly those who enjoy magic schools, clever plots, and engrossing worldbuilding. 

By Ella

At the Black Moon Ceremony each year, every twelve-year-old Witchling in the Twelve Towns is chosen for a Coven. Seven Salazar has dreamed her entire life of being placed in Hyacinth House alongside her best friend, Poppy, where they would race toads together and learn new magic and never again have to deal with her relentless bully, Valley Pepperhorn. Only all Seven's plans don't work out, because at the Black Moon Ceremony, she isn't chosen for Hyacinth House--or any other coven. Seven, Valley, and a Witchling named Thorn are left as Spares, covenless and magicless, the worst possible fate. 

Determined not to lose her future so easily, Seven invokes the Impossible Task. If she and her fellow Spares succeed and fell a monstrous Nightbeast, they'll keep their magic and be sealed as a proper coven. If not? They'll be turned into toads. 

Seven is less than thrilled to be forced to work with Valley, but she doesn't have much of a choice if she wants to complete the Impossible Task. Especially since as she, Valley, and Thorn learn more about the Nightbeast and try to track it down, they discover that another witch is hiding it. And maybe some even more dangerous secrets, too...

Witchlings is a light, funny, and fast-paced fantasy novel that could appeal to fans of the quirkiness and strong characters of The Last Fallen Star, Strangeworlds Travel Agency, and Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch. Ortega's characters are spot-on, full of personality and layered relationships that make them feel both developed and extremely real. Seven, Thorn, and Valley stick out in particular--the ways they connect and bounce off each other make them fun to read about and utterly relatable. I also love the world of Witchlings, which is full of interesting and unique details that together create a setting that seems to extend well past the boundaries of the story. I recommend Witchlings to readers ages nine and up, particularly those who enjoy quest fantasy with a fresh twist.  

​By Ella

Every magical school needs a good beastkeeper--and Inglenook School of Magic is no exception. Twelve-year-old Autumn Malog's family has cared for Inglenook's beasts for generations, and she's grown up looking after dragons protecting their well-cared-for gardens and striking up a friendship with the boggart, one of Inglenook's most mysterious and temperamental creatures. But ever since her twin brother, Winter, went missing last year, everything has been different. Everyone else believes he's dead, devoured long ago by the ferocious Hollow Dragon, but Autumn has never been convinced. She's certain he's alive somewhere, and she's spent every moment since trying to figure out what really happened to him. And she's sure she saw him in one of Inglenook's mirrors...

Autumn doesn't have any real clues, though--not until Cai Morrigan, the Inglenook student prophecized to defeat the Hollow Dragon, agrees to help her find Winter. But nothing is as it seems, and as Autumn and Cai follow a trail of clues leading from the Hollow Dragon's forest to within the walls of Inglenook School, they must also uncover its far deeper secrets before it is too late--for Winter, and for all of them. 

The School Between Winter and Fairyland is a fast-paced fantasy novel that puts a new twist on the classic tale of the Chosen One. The worldbuilding is excellent, full of small details--like the gardening dragons--that make the setting unique and interesting. I particularly liked the different creatures that Autumn's family cares for, which are all drawn from various mythology but with a new spin on their characteristics and personalities. The characters are also excellent, particularly Cai--I've read a lot of stories with Chosen Ones, but Fawcett's twist on this trope is different in the best possible way! I recommend The School Between Winter and Fairyland to readers ages nine and up, particularly those who enjoy books about magic schools. 

By Ella

The Last Fallen Moon is the sequel to The Last Fallen Star by Graci Kim, and the second book in the Gifted Clans trilogy. 

[Look out--there are spoilers for book 1!]

Riley Oh just saved the world--it seems like she should have a chance to celebrate. But since in the process nearly everyone she knows lost their memories of her and the Gom clan no longer has their healing gift...well, let's just say that not everyone is thrilled about what Riley has done. 

Determined to fix at least one of her mistakes, Riley enters the Spiritrealm, or the world of the dead, to recruit a new patron for the Gom clan and restore their healing powers. Only the Spiritrealm is in the midst of its own problems, and with the help of a mysterious, white-haired boy named Dahl, Riley has to figure out what's really going on and stop a particularly nefarious plot before the Spiritrealm and Mortalrealm are endangered. 

I loved The Last Fallen Star, so I was thrilled to read the sequel. I loved it! With the same hilarious characters, fast pace, and intricate plot as book one, The Last Fallen Moon lived up to my expectations and introduced me to a whole new side to Riley's world that was constantly funny, interesting, and unique. I particularly liked getting to know both old and new characters better during this story, especially Hattie and Dahl. I highly recommend The Last Fallen Moon to readers ages nine and up looking for a strong, exciting series full of mythology and magic. 

By Ella

For Julie, fairy tales have never been anything but real--as real as the twisting mess of vines known as the Wild that she hides under her bed. Her mom Rapunzel and a bunch of other fairy-tale heroes and villains escaped from the Wild centuries ago, back when it was grown to its full size, and ever since it's been confined to odd corners of Julie and Rapunzel's house. Sure, it's a nuisance--Julie would rather get out of bed in the morning without discovering the Wild had transformed her shoes or backpack while she was asleep--but as long as it stays there, whatever Rapunzel and all the other fairy-tale characters seem to be worried about can't happen. 

That is, until a wish releases the Wild again. It swallows Julie's Massachusetts hometown in a mass of dangerous, magical trees--and steals her mom and grandmother into its depths. And Julie plunges into the Wild to save them. 

But the Wild is a darker and more dangerous place than Julie ever could have imagined, where familiar people are caught in endless tales and nothing stays in its apparent shape for long. Julie must navigate stories that try to ensnare her, outwit witches, griffins, and giants, and uncover the truth about her mother's past to save her family and her home--and maybe find her own happily ever after. The Wild is determined to stop her, though, trying to force Julie into different stories and break her resolve, and she has to ask herself: what if the price of success is the one thing she's always wanted more than anything? 

I've loved some of Sarah Beth Durst's other books (including The Stone Girl's Story and Spark), and so when I came across Into the Wild, I was hoping it would be just as good. It was. Durst weaves together fairy tales and the modern day into a fully believable story brimming with determination, love, and imagination. All the characters are interesting and well-executed, particularly the fairy-tale characters. I highly recommend Into the Wild to readers ages nine and up. 

​By Ella

Breaking Badlands is the third and final book in the Talespinners series by Scott Reintgen, preceded by Saving Fable (book one) and Escaping Ordinary (book two). 

[Look out--there are spoilers for the first two books!]

Indira Story has now saved the land of Imagination twice, and she's ready for a vacation. But that's before she gets swept up in a mysterious group known as the Antiheroes, who ask her to go on a dangerous mission to infiltrate Antagonist Academy before the leader of the villain school can execute a plan which would be disastrous not only for Good and Evil in all stories, but the very land of Imagination. Although Indira is at first certain this new mission will be a piece of cake, not all is as it seems. She's defended Imagination from all sorts of nefarious dangers--but can she protect it from herself? 

So often with humorous, brilliant books--particularly when the jokes made are specialized--I find the sequels something of a letdown. I begin them hoping they will be everything their predecessors were, and they never quite are. But just like the second Talespinners book, Escaping Ordinary, Breaking Badlands does something truly remarkable: in my opinion, it not only meets the strengths of book one, it's even better. Breaking Badlands delivers everything which was great about the first two books and makes it all even better, perhaps in part because the cast is all familiar, making it a new and wonderfully clever adventure inhabited by characters who are already old friends. It expertly wraps up the subplots and characters from the previous books, all while shining with new twists, settings, and humor. As a fan of well-drawn villains, the setting of Antagonist Academy was particularly enjoyable to me. I highly recommend the entire Talespinners series to anyone who loves stories and the characters who inhabit them ages nine and up. 

By Lina

Sixth-grader Peter is good at lots of things, from making jokes to quoting lines from his favorite classic movies. But fitting in? Not so much--having autism spectrum disorder makes it hard to fly under the radar when you're surrounded by elementary school bullies. When his parents announce their latest solution—spending the summer with a grandmother he’s never met on the remote Johnson Island—he has no reason to believe that summer on some island in the middle of nowhere will be any different than the misery of elementary school. 

However, life on Johnson Island isn’t nearly as terrible as Peter (or Pete, as everyone on the island seems to insist on calling him) was expecting—especially once he meets witty, sarcastic twins Kat and Sofia, who appreciate his sense of humor and retro movie t-shirts. Before he knows it, he’s playing manhunt and having water gun fights with the other island kids, and learning about all of Johnson Island’s quirky traditions—and for the first time, he begins to feel that he belongs. The islanders have been financially struggling ever since weed management company Meta-Gro abruptly ended all research at their facility there, but the community has remained tight-knit and welcoming. And while yes, Gram makes Pete learn to swim and do chores (weeding every day!), it’s really not so bad with two new friends at his side. 

Yet there’s something strange about Johnson Island—and when a spontaneous bet leads Pete and the twins to discover the secret behind Meta-Gro’s hurried removal from the island, they’re forced to face off with a failed experiment worthy of any of Pete’s favorite movies. Except….can a quirky, nerdy underdog really be the one to save the day? 
​
A perfect read to for the beginning of summer, The Summer My Grandmother’s Yard Tried to Kill Me is a delightful debut! Pete’s well-rounded character, quirky narration and consistent sense of humor make him irresistible; it’s incredibly satisfying to watch him grow and ultimately triumph over the course of the story as he learns the importance of accepting and celebrating yourself for who you are. Details such as Pete’s impressive knowledge of classic movies, the islanders’ unique, often amusing slang words and phrases, and the island traditions bring the story to life. It’s a fast, fun, engaging read; older middle grade readers will enjoy reading it on their own, while it’s also a great story for younger ones to read with their parents. And I thoroughly enjoyed it as a high schooler as well! Full of deft humor, quirky, caring friendships, and winning characters, I would highly recommend The Summer My Grandmother’s Yard Tried to Kill Me to readers ages eight and up. 

Note: Check out our interview with the author, Harry Harvey! 

By Ella

​If Barclay Thorne had his way, his life would be spent peacefully hunting for mushrooms in his hometown of Dullshire, never straying into the dangerous Woods that lie on the brink of his peaceful, wonderfully boring village. The Woods, after all, represent everything he and Dullshire hate most--lawlessness, nonconformity, and magic. 

Dullshire has lots of rules, but among all of them, that one's the most important: absolutely no magic. It's because of the magical Beasts--and the Lore Keepers, misguided humans who live in the Woods and actually bond with the foul creatures--that Barclay is an orphan. Ever since, he's been determined to do his absolute best to follow every one of Dullshire's rules, though there are some, like never running, that he has some trouble with. 

Still, it's Barclay's worst nightmare come true when a mushroom hunting mission goes wrong, and one of the beasts bonds--with him. Cast out of Dullshire, his mushroom hunting future gone in a blink, Barclay is determined to dissolve his bond with the beast and get his life back on track, even if that means seeking out the dangerous and powerful Lore Keepers in the Woods. 

But when Barclay discovers a plot that endangers the new place he's starting to wonder if he can find for himself, it's up to him to accept who he might just be becoming before Dullshire itself is destroyed. 

The Accidental Apprentice is a light, humorous fantasy novel that nimbly avoids any expected clichés with unexpected freshness and creativity. Barclay's stubbornness is commendable, his resolve relatable, and his development both a joy to read about and full of realism. I loved this world, from Dullshire to the depths of the Woods, and some of the supporting characters particularly stuck out to me. I highly recommend The Accidental Apprentice to readers ages eight and up looking for a whimsical, funny fantasy novel full of adventure. 

​By Ella
​
The last thing twelve-year-old Flick expects when she moves to the village of Little Wyverns--a far cry from the city life she's grown up with--is a travel agency. And not just any travel agency. Strangeworlds isn't the kind that brings you to the places Flick has always dreamed of going: other continents, countries, cities. Once you've joined the mysterious Strangeworlds Society, you can travel through portals hidden in suitcases into other worlds.

At first, Flick is dubious. After all, if magic were truly real, wouldn't everyone know? But then the Strangeworld Travel Agency's young Head Custodian, Jonathan, shows her some of the other worlds. And Flick discovers, to her astonishment and delight, that it's all true. There are worlds out there--nonsensical worlds filled with eerie forests, scorched deserts, and the most peculiar of impossibilities. Worlds which she can now step into.

And she's going to, because Jonathan needs her help. His father disappeared into one of the suitcases months ago, and he needs Flick's help to find him.

Together, Flick and Jonathan set out on a journey leaping from world to world. But something has been happening to the different places they visit. Things have been changing. And it's up to Jonathan and Flick to figure out what--even as she realizes that all is not as it seems.

Strangeworlds Travel Agency is a fun fantasy novel with the quirky, almost old-fashioned tone of books like The Emerald Atlas and The Box and the Dragonfly. It effortlessly leaps between the modern day and the strangest of strange worlds, carried by two characters--Flick and Jonathan--who make that leap just as effectively, never seeming jarred or out of place in either setting. No matter what Flick does at the travel agency or in other worlds, it always feels natural when she returns home to her irritating younger brother and unpacking moving boxes. I also love the worlds Flick and Jonathan travel into, which are varied, mysterious, and often completely unexpected--they truly made this book come alive. I recommend Strangeworlds Travel Agency to readers ages nine and up looking for immersive, likable fantasy novels.

By Piranha T. 

Theodosia Throckmorton is hardly your average eleven-year-old girl. Not only is she the daughter of the Head Curator of the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London and is deemed unfortunately clever by most adults, she is also the only person who does anything to destroy the curses on the museum's artifacts when they arrive fresh from Egypt courtesy of her archaeologist mum. It's simple enough, really: with the help of her protective amulets and the advice of ancient texts, Theodosia has managed to keep the worst curses from wreaking havoc in the museum. If only her parents consented to wear gloves when touching the artifacts; it would make her job so much easier. But her parents seem to think she's peculiar rather than seeing the curses lurking around the museum at night, and Theodosia knows that if she tried to explain, they'd ship her straight off to boarding school. 

When Theodosia's mum returns from Egypt brimming with artifacts, Theodosia is prepared to spend the next few weeks rooting out the curses before they're put on display. She certainly doesn't expect a curse as vile as the one clinging to the Heart of Egypt her mum returns with--one which will leave England vulnerable to its enemies if left unchecked. 

Before Theodosia can decide what to do, though, the Heart of Egypt is stolen. And it's up to her to track it down and learn more about the Egyptian magic she's always experimented with in time to stop the curse. 

I've wanted to read Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos for years, and it didn't disappoint. Theodosia's character and narrative are absolutely perfect--upper-class, sophisticated, and with a touch of dry humor and seriousness which together make her extraordinarily endearing. The rest of the series is at the very top of my to-read list--I can't wait to read more about Theodosia, and see where LaFevers goes with the successive books! The world is also fully realized: the atmosphere of Edwardian England is skillfully evoked and blended with the Egyptian magic Theodosia discovers in the museum, which I enjoyed immensely. I laughed more than once, was surprised often, and loved the myriad characters, making this book thoroughly enjoyable. I highly recommend Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos to readers ages ten and up, particularly those who enjoy quirky historical fantasy, or to anyone who regularly identifies ancient curses by moonlight. 

By Piranha T. 

Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality is the fifth and final book in the Pandava Quintet, which opened with Aru Shah and the End of Time. 

[Look out--there are spoilers below for earlier books in the series!] 

Aru Shah and her friends have lost their celestial weapons--and without them, they don't have a chance of entering the labyrinth in which the Nectar of Immortality is hidden. The Sleeper and his army are already there, though, and Aru knows she's running out of time. 

Together, Aru, Mini and Brynne--with lots of help from their friends--must trade in old favors, journey to the ends of the earth, and even perform at a rock concert to regain their weapons and stop the Sleeper in time. But what if the Pandava sisters aren't up for the task? And can Aru figure out the right thing to do in time? 

The first book in the Pandava Quintet, Aru Shah and the End of Time, was so funny, spot-on and brilliant that it made me think, there's no way the whole series can be this awesome. Having finished the final installment, Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality​, I can assure you that it is. The quirky characters, witty narrative and constantly engrossing story never flags; Aru and her friends--particularly Mini, Brynne and Aiden--manage to be both utterly hilarious and deeply relatable and understandable. Having reached the final page of the final book, I found myself wishing I could hang out with them some more! I highly recommend Aru Shah and the Nectar of Immortality​ (and the entire Pandava Quintet) to readers ages eight and up. 

​By Piranha T. 

Indira Story has spent her life in the town of Origin, a character-in-waiting who wants nothing more than to be chosen for a story. So when the Author Borealis arrive and Indira is chosen to go to Fable--home to the school which has trained every Protagonist in literary history--it's like a dream come true. 

But when Indira arrives at Protagonist Preparatory, she's set on the side character track--a far cry from the hero she's always dreamed of being. She's determined to do her best anyway, and impress her teachers, who are all famous protagonists in their own right from Romeo to Odysseus. If she works hard, Indira is sure she can become a protagonist, too. 

Somehow, though, even her best efforts don't seem to be working. She's failing at being just a side character. Indira's future is looking bleak when strange things start happening at Protagonist Preparatory, and she starts putting the pieces together--pieces which someone nefarious is trying very hard to keep hidden. 

Will Indira have it in her to be the hero she's always dreamed of--or will she fail, leaving Fable to a disastrous fate? 

If any part of the above story description sounds the least bit familiar, or even a little cliché, that's the point. Saving Fable plays on the most stereotypical, most traditional, most familiar tropes and mixes them up with a world populated by characters and full of clever literary puns, and the result is extraordinary. There are many books which play off story elements of heroes and books--some favorites of mine include Finding Serendipity and The Thieving Collectors of Fine Children's Books--but Reintgen pulls it off here with spectacular and outstanding flair, full of brilliant jokes and constant humor which is so incredibly self-aware. The brilliant writing craft references, which essentially make up the whole world of Saving Fable, are particularly notable in my opinion, in part because they are so incredibly brilliant but also because they create such an atmospheric, detailed, and truly hilarious world; whether it's references to famous protagonists, brainstorming, or simply the classic hero-versus-antagonist plot, they never fall flat and made me laugh my way through this whole book.

​But part of what makes this book stand out is that you don't have to get all of these jokes to love it--they're more of an undercurrent which makes it even more spectacular. The characters, including Indira, are also awesome, and all seemed to sparkle with something of their own; together with a fully realized world and a bright and even surprising plot, they created a full and complete story which I couldn't put down. I highly recommend Saving Fable to fans of fantasy ages nine and up, particularly those who have read enough books to recognize both the funny and familiar in its story. 

Note: If you like Saving Fable, check out our interview with author Scott Reintgen! 

By Piranha T. 

Taran is the Assistant Pig-Keeper of the oracular pig Hen Wen--a duty which he feels should be noble and meaningful, but instead leads to nothing remotely interesting. He longs to leave his home at Caer Dallben and adventure out into the world, where he imagines a world where heroes like Prince Gwydion keep evil at bay, and peril is never distant. 

But when Hen Wen escapes, and Taran follows her, he quickly learns that his dreams of sword-wielding heroism are not quite as he thought. Not only that, but Hen Wen may be in mortal danger--for the Horned King, the latest champion of the nefarious Arawn, is also searching for her as he seeks to rule all of the land of Prydain. And only Hen Wen knows the secret to defeating him. 

Now Taran must find Hen Wen before the Horned King--all while avoiding the dark beings sent to find her first. He finds help, too, though: from the hero Gwydion, who is very different from how he imagined him; from Fflewddur Fflam, a bard with a penchant from embellishing the truth; and from Eilonwy, a strong-willed girl who knows a bit about magic. But will it be enough to find Hen Wen in time, and save Prydain? 

The Book of Three is one of my enduring fantasy favorites, and when I reread it this summer, I found it just as good as I remembered. Alexander's prose is engrossing, his characters well-defined. Eilonwy in particular I feel the need to bring attention to; although far from perfect, and less so in successive books, she is one of the few female characters in fantasy of this era who has an interesting personality and a life beyond the male characters, although they do invariably stereotype her into the habitual and tight gender roles of this world. The land of Prydain (based on Welsh mythology) is interesting as well; for those who enjoy the inspiration of Welsh mythology in books like Over Sea, Under Stone, this series is particularly recommended. I recommend The Book of Three (and the successive books in the five-volume Chronicles of Prydain) to readers ages ten and up who enjoy high fantasy novels.