The Eye of Zoltar

July 1, 2014

Gr 5-8-Jennifer Strange, 16, is pretty busy these days, as manager of Kazam Mystical Arts Management and Court Mystician for the Kingdom of Snodd. Still, she can't say no when the queen "asks" that she take on the challenge of transforming the obnoxious and spoiled princess (who is switched into the body of a downtrodden orphan by her mother when she refuses to cooperate) into a functional and empathetic leader. Then Jennifer is blackmailed by the most powerful magician ever into a search (not a quest, which is far more expensive) for the almost completely legendary Eye of Zoltar, last seen in the dangerously unbalanced Cambrian Empire, where kidnapping and jeopardy tourism are the main sources of revenue. The odds are definitely not in her favor on this perilous journey with the young but extremely resourceful tour guide, Addie; a rubberized dragon; her rapidly aging beau, Perkins; a vain princess turned undernourished orphan; and mysterious heroes and wastrels of various sorts. The ever-resourceful Jennifer must reach deep into her bag of mental and emotional reserves to battle strange magic and survive terrible loss. This installment is darker than the first two outings and contains a Grand Canyon-sized cliff-hanger of an ending. Fans of strong, brave, intelligent females will root for Jennifer and her gang, and wait impatiently for the next book.-Mara Alpert, Los Angeles Public Library

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