Arlo Finch in the Valley of Fire

December 1, 2017
A 12-year-old white boy finds out he's special in a new middle-grade fantasy series.Arlo Finch has just arrived in the tiny town of Pine Mountain, atop the high peaks of Colorado. Times are tight, and Arlo, his sister, and their mother have moved into the crumbling family home with his taxidermist uncle. Arlo, who has one green eye and one brown, isn't in Pine Mountain long before he makes friends with (the requisite girl and boy sidekicks) supersmart Indian-American doctors' daughter Indra Srinivasaraghavan-Jones and Chinese-American STEM genius Henry Wu. When Arlo joins the Rangers, a mixed-gender scouting troop, he's made privy to thunderclaps (literal hand-clapping that sounds like thunder) and snaplights (a snap of the fingers that creates illumination) along with traditional scouting tasks such as tying knots and pitching tents. As Arlo works toward earning his first rank--Squirrel--questions mount. What is the Wonder? What and where are the Long Woods, the Realm, and the Valley of Fire? How is Arlo connected to a long-lost girl only he can see? Who wants to kill him, and why? Arlo is a smart, likable boy, but his story adds little new to the genre. The mountain setting and eerie house filled with stuffed and mounted animals provide an evocative sense of place for Arlo's adventure, but characters and plot feel too familiar, particularly a Goblet of Fire-like Ranger challenge.Atmospheric at best, formulaic at worst. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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February 1, 2018

Gr 4-7-Arlo Finch's family has returned to his mother's hometown of Pine Mountain, CO, to try to regain some normalcy after a stressful few years. But nothing is normal in Pine Mountain. From the house they live in that comes complete with an eccentric taxidermist uncle to the magical creatures that have taken special notice of Arlo, adventure and mystery are everywhere. To make new friends, 12-year-old Arlo joins the Rangers, a scoutlike group, and finds that they don't just learn to build fires-they learn some magic craft and about creatures from other realms. As Arlo prepares for his first test to advance a rank, he has no idea he and his friends' lives will be at stake. Much like other popular series such as "Percy Jackson," magic and realism are woven together. The first novel is clearly laying the groundwork for future installments, and it is very fertile ground. Enough questions are answered to provide satisfaction, but unanswered questions and mysteries that remain. VERDICT An exciting fantasy novel grounded in reality with a strong emphasis on friendships and great characters. This new series will appeal to fans of mystery and adventure as well as reluctant readers.-Elizabeth Nicolai, Anchorage Public Library, AK

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2017
Grades 5-8 Twelve-year-old Arlo Finch is new to small-town Pine Mountain, Colorado. Observant and inquisitive, he soon realizes that there is more to the town than meets the eye. Dark and magical forces surround the town, and it doesn't take Arlo long to encounter these magical forces as they inexplicably try to harm him. With the help of new friends from an outdoor scouting group, the Rangers, Arlo learns how to use his new Rangers skills to fight off these magical forces. With nods to the Harry Potter series, accomplished screenwriter August artfully thrusts readers into a whole new world, right alongside Arlo. The many magical forces and creatures in this book are intriguing, especially because August firmly establishes them within the magical parameters of Arlo's world. Arlo, meanwhile, is a lovable, inquisitive character, and as he wittingly subdues the magical creatures, the plot only becomes more dynamic. This is just the first volume in a new series, so readers won't have to wait long to plunge back into the mysterious Long Woods.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)