The Magnificent 12: The Call

By Michael Grant
Published by Katherine Tegen Books
Copyright © 2010

Mack is afraid of all the wrong things. He has phobias of things that he would rarely, if ever, be forced to encounter, but the things he deals with everyday, like bullies, don’t seem to faze him. But thanks to having some “enlightened puissance,” which he is unaware he possesses, he is going to meet scarier bullies than he has ever met in his young life.

In “The Call,” the first book in this series, Mack finds out that he is a new member of an old order called the 12 Magnifica. The old order of 12 Magnifica have been dead for a long time, save for Grimluk the lone survivor.  Some died in the Battle with the Pale Queen whom they imprisoned in the earth for 3,000 years,  others died in search of the Pale Queen’s Daughter, and still others just died of old age. Grimluk alone has been preserved alive so as to be able to summon 12 more Magnifica when the Queen’s imprisonment is over.

Unfortunately for Mack he is the new leader of the 12 Magnifica, and the task before him is to find the other 11. Stefan, his former bully and current body guard, will help him get to Australia’s Outback where he will meet the second Magnifica and have his first real show down with Princess Eriskigal.

While it seems he is trying too hard at times, the author achieves a moderate level of humor. I found some of the texts of his Golem doppelganger (who happens to made of clay if you didn’t know) to by quite funny – especially this one:

“Dear Mack,
It seems a stomach alone is not enough. You can’t just put food in, all the time. Anyway, mine became too full and I needed a way to get the food out of my body. Dad’s power drill was very useful, much better than a spoon.
Your friend,
Golem”

I also found the back story of Grimluk and the original 12 Magnifica to be necessary, but the continuous back and forth between the present and the past every other chapter is not my favorite way to get it, at least not in this story.

However, I love that this series will seemingly navigate the globe in search of Mack’s 11 companions, providing children with just a tiny geography and culture lesson as he did in this first book writing about Uluru, or Ayer’s Rock, in Australia.

Overall Michael Grant’s story is fast paced, funny, and smart. (You have to be smart to write stupid. You’ll see what I mean.) Mack is just the kind of kid we all root for. Much to my chagrin I have been sucked in, and now I must read the second book in this series to find out who and what they will find in China.

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes

Edited by Kazu Kibuishi
Published by Amulet Books
Copyright © 2012

“Explorer: They Mystery Boxes” is a beautiful, fun, and original collection of short graphic fantasy stories created by 8 excellent comic writers and illustrators.

Under the Floorboards (by Emily Carrol) is the story of a young girl who finds a box under the floorboards of her bed. In the box she finds a note and a wax doll. This doll is alive and while it seems helpful it soon lets its true colors show.

Spring Cleaning (by Dave Roman & Raina Telgemeier) is the story of a young boy who has to clean out his closet. His brother suggests that he sell some of his stuff online, but when he tries to sell an odd box it catches the attention of three very eager wizards.

The Keepers Treasure (by Jason Caffoe) tells the story of an intrepid treasure hunter who makes it through a land filled with dinosaurs, chest-deep bogs, and “glacial wastelands” only to find that his final destination comes replete with a Labyrinth and its guardian who will lead him to the box he’s looking for.

The Butter Thief (by Rad Sechrist) tells the story of a little Japanese spirit who likes to steal butter from the refrigerator until grandmother traps it in a box. That is when the fun really starts for her granddaughter who just has to see what she actually caught.

The Soldier’s Daughter (by Stuart Livingston w/Stephanie Ramirez)
is the story of two siblings who have lost their father in a war. The daughter feels a compulsion to seek vengeance for her father’s death. A stranger with a visionary box shows her what she must do.

Whatzit (by Johanne Matte w/Saymone Phanekham) is a comical tale of alien warehouse hi-jinks. When Deet gets a big promotion by his grandpa to help with stocking the Grand Universal Exhibition he finds that the job might be more than he can handle when he finds and opens a box marked “?”.

The Escape Option (by Kazu Kibuishi ) is a story about a seemingly random hiker and the extinction of the human race. James is hiking in the wilderness where he happens upon a huge mechanical floating box which sucks him in and gives him the option of saving himself from mankind’s fate.

Click to buy

Kibuishi has given us a collection of graphic stories/comics that are unique and different from each other in all ways but one. Each story contains a mysterious box. Whether it is the box, that is unusual or what is in the box, these writers/illustrators have created stories that are thoughtful, haunting, and even funny. Some of the stories have morals and some have punch lines, but all of them are well written and colorful. I particularly enjoyed “Whatzit” and “The Escape Option” because I don’t think there are enough alien stories anymore. Comics/graphic novel fans of any age will enjoy this compilation, but it is most suited to children ages 10 and up. 

The BFG

By Roald Dahl

Illustrations by Quentin Blake

Published by Farrar • Straus • Giroux

Copyright © 1982

The BFG (Big Friendly Giant) is just another example of Roald Dahl’s childlike imagination combining with his social awareness, making for a moralistic tale that children can’t help but like.

Sophie lives in an orphanage. It is not a very nice place to live because the supervisors are very strict and love to punish children. One night Sophie could not sleep, and even though she knew she could be punished she got out of bed and tiptoed to the window where the moonlight was beaming through. When she looked out the window the homes and streets all around were quiet and there was nothing moving about. Soon however, she noticed a large shadowy figure looking into people homes. As he got closer to the orphanage Sophie went quickly back to her bed. But soon the large creature was at the orphanage and he reached in, grabbed Sophie, and ran speedily away.

Sophie was fortunate however, she had been kidnapped by the BFG. Had it been any other Giant she would have been eaten on the spot, but the BFG did not like to eat people.  He merely skulked around so that he could blow good dreams into children’s rooms. The BFG had to kidnap Sophie because she had seen him, and she certainly would have told everyone what she had seen first thing in the morning, and then they would have tried to capture him.

The BFG had problems enough back in Giantland without worrying about being caught by people. In Giantland the BFG was actually a runt; the other giants were twice his size. They were mean, cruel, and people eaters. They took every opportunity they could to bully the poor BFG, and every night they would run off to various countries and eat unsuspecting people. But now that Sophie was living with the BFG in Giantland this would have to stop.

In the BFG Roald Dahl tells the enjoyable story of an orphaned girl and a friendly and funny talking giant who become friends and find away to stop the mean giants. The funny made up words and names in this book are pure Dahl. While it is written from Sophie’s viewpoint, it is the BFG who steals the show because he is so silly and lovable. What I really enjoyed about this book was the lesson behind the story. While each creature has its own morality (rules for what is right or wrong) humans are the only ones that think it is okay to purposefully hurt others of their own kind. Giants would certainly never do this. Even though the other giants treat the BFG badly they would never kill him. This isn’t my favorite Dahl book, but it is one of my favorite morals. And this is a book that children 7 and up would likely enjoy.