The Glass Puzzle

June 1, 2013
Cousins Zoe and Ian must find the key to a glass puzzle or risk the destruction of their Welsh town. Zoe Badger loves summering with her cousin, Ian, at their grandfather's house in small, seaside Tenby. But things take an unexpected turn when they find an antique glass puzzle and unwittingly release Scravens--evil creatures with a craterous third eye and massive wings--into Tenby. The cousins, in turn, are magically transported to Wythernsea, an island long submerged underwater, whence the Scravens come. There they learn that Scravens are taking over the bodies of Tenby inhabitants--as well as terrorizing Wythernsea--and that they must save both towns from the creatures. To a gratingly earnest third-person narration, readers follow the adventures of Zoe, Ian and their friends as they attempt to defeat the Scravens. Adults either too daft or unwilling to be much help, and who behave in erratic ways, shake the credibility of this far-fetched fantasy. Spot illustrations by Santoso are reminiscent of Mary GrandPre's art for the Harry Potter series but lack her accurate representation of characters. The interesting premise is bogged down by narration that doesn't seem to fully trust readers' intelligence and by characters who defy credibility, keeping it from rising above the bevy of middle-grade fantasies. (Fantasy. 9-12)

COPYRIGHT(2013) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

October 1, 2013

Gr 4-6-Zoe Badger and her cousin Ian find themselves on the adventure of a lifetime during what starts out as a normal vacation with their grandfather in Wales. Their summer begins with the discovery of a mysterious glass puzzle that is the doorway to the lost island of Wythernsea and ends with them saving their entire world from evil Scravens, who had invaded through the puzzle. The story line could hold the interest of fans of modern fantasy; unfortunately, other than Zoe, the characters are only lightly sketched out, and even her development is too weak for readers to form a real connection. The reasons behind her actions are often unclear, and the author tries to compensate with out-of-place statements of her feelings. Motivations that should be shown are instead left out or seem improbable. These flaws affect the plotline as new characters join the cousins on their quest and readers are left wondering why any of the adventurers are willing to risk their lives.-Genevieve Feldman, San Francisco Public Library

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2013
Grades 4-7 With its unexplored tunnels, secret societies, ties to pirates, and folklore about Wythernsea, an island that disappeared off the coast of Wales in 1349, the mystical coastal town of Tenby is just where 11-year-old Zo' and her cousin Ian love to spend the summer with Granddad. When Zo' finds an odd piece of glass and looks through it, she notices some of the town's citizens now possess a third eye and appear to be monsters. With the help of Ian's methodical scrutiny, the cousins discover the glass is part of a puzzle, which serves as a portal to parallel worlds, including Wythernsea. While they can visit the lost island, the portal also allows Scravens, monsters that inhabit humans, to enter Tenby and take over its residents. If Zo' and Ian can find an ancient rune stone and the Scraven leader before Midsummer's Day, they may be able to defeat the monsters and close the portal for good. Although some plot points are obvious, the nonstop adventures and fantastical setting should keep readers entertained.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)