The Stonekeeper's Curse

November 1, 2009
Gr 4 Up-Emily and Navin return, in a fight to save their mother from a toxic poison. The evil Elf King is out to get Emily, however, since she is one of the only Stonekeepers left who can stop his reign of terror. He sends his disappointing son, Prince Trellis, and Luger, one of his most wicked cronies, out to find her, with the threat that if Trellis doesnt kill her, hell be killed himself. Emily, Navin, and their band of robotic protectors set out for the city of Kanalis to locate a doctor who can cure their mom. While there they encounter Leon, a bounty hunter whose mission in life is to defeat the Elf King. This band of heroes learns that their desired cure is the fruit of the gadoba tree, found only on deadly Demons Head Mountain. Emily, Leon, and her guard Miskit set out for the mountain, with Emily practicing control over her amulet along the way. This book ends with a thrilling fight and the promise of more adventures to come. Stunning illustration spreads open each new section, and the robots and animal residents of Kanalis provide a soft and sometimes humorous counterpoint to the action-packed story. This book will be extremely satisfying to fans of the first volume."Laura Amos, Newport News Public Library, VA"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 15, 2009
Grades 4-7 Kibuishi continues the Amulet graphic novel series begun in The Stonekeeper (2007). A core group consisting of two sibling children, various animal-like creatures, and robots wends its way against domineering elves in a majestic and magical otherworld. Although the fantasy elements (a girl prophesied to overthrow an evil overlord with the help of a mysterious talisman and her own unharnessed powers) are recognizable from familiar touchstones ranging from Tolkiens works to Star Wars, the artistic virtuosity with which Kibuishi envisions them keeps things from being overly derivative. This series remains one of the better alternatives for young fans of Jeff Smiths Bone series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)