FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull
    Illustrated by Brandon Dorman
    Category:  Fantasy
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 6+
    Release Date:  6/14/06
    Publisher:  Shadow Mountain
    Reviewed by:  Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"
    Rating:  5 Stars


    It's very rare, in this day and age of Harry Potter mania (and yes, I admit I'm a very devoted victim!) to find a fantasy
    story that can actually hold your attention. With FABLEHAVEN, though, new author Brandon Mull manages to do
    just that from the very first page to the last. Not to mention, thank the fairies, that there's already another book
    planned in the series.

    The premise is simple enough: two siblings, thirteen-year-old Kendra and her eleven-year-old brother, Seth, are
    relegated to spending time with their paternal grandparents, Grandma and Grandpa Sorenson, while their parents
    enjoy a seventeen-day Scandinavian cruise. At first glance, that might not seem so strange, but you have to understand
    that their family's relationship with the grandparents Sorenson is sort of an odd one. They don't visit much, they don't
    call; in fact, Kendra and Seth don't really know their grandparents that well at all.

    This is a forced, mandatory vacation though, so the kids don't have much choice in the matter. And when they finally
    reach Fablehaven, where, unbeknown to them, their Grandfather is the caretaker, they're a little overwhelmed. First,
    there were the No Trespassing and Private Property signs that gave way to one that said Certain Death Awaits.
    Now, they find out that however pretty and secluded Fablehaven may be, there's no television, no radio, and a ton of
    rules -- not all of which make sense.

    What follows is two weeks of more adventure, trouble, suspense, and magic than the kids could have ever dreamed
    of. When their rash actions, and disobedience to some important rules, leads to retribution from the magical world of
    Fablehaven, Kendra, Seth, Grandpa Sorenson, and even Grandma, who seems to be missing, are in for a ride.

    FABLEHAVEN is a great fantasy novel perfect for everyone, from young adults to those young at heart. With a cast
    of characters ranging from witches to fairies, satyrs to imps, strange chickens and conniving trolls, there's definitely
    something for everyone. I plan to give my copy of FABLEHAVEN to my ten-year-old son to read next, and I'm
    pretty sure he'll enjoy it as much as I did (not to mention my mom, who gets it when he's done!). Kudos to Mr. Mull
    for such a great debut fantasy novel, and for giving me something absolutely wonderful to read during my Harry
    Potter-deprived winter. I can't wait for the next book in the series!
Fablehaven Bk. 1
by Brandon Mull