The Crooked Sixpence

October 24, 2016
In this first book in the Uncommoners series, a portal inside a suitcase whisks Ivy Sparrow and her older brother, Seb, to the underground city of Ludinor. There, the siblings have two days to unravel their grandmother’s secret past and find a powerful “uncommon” object to save their parents, who are being held hostage by the nefarious Dirge. Everyday household goods get a whimsical overhaul in this fantastical world beneath the streets of London—colanders filter the air, paper clips serve as handcuffs, and a toilet brush is a formidable weapon—but kindness, friendship and loyalty still reign supreme. Bell, a British bookseller making her children’s book debut, has created a formidable, kindhearted, and keenly observant heroine in Ivy. After she saves a dented, “back-to-fronted”-talking bicycle bell named Scratch, it becomes an important ally, just one of many delightfully odd characters in a hodgepodge world that includes the walking dead, political intrigue, and grotesque physical punishment for misdeeds. Bell’s multifaceted plot comes together cohesively, creating a solid base for her series. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–12. Author’s agent: Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary.

October 1, 2016
Eleven-year-old Ivy and her brother Seb, 14, discover a surprising parallel world of uncommon objects and people when their grandmother is injured just after Christmas. A serendipitous acquaintance, brown-skinned Valian, transports white Ivy and Seb to the cavernous under-London site of an annual uncommon market, Lundinor, a kind of enormous Diagon Alley. Here objects containing bits of souls behave in unusual, seemingly magical ways: lemon squeezers glow as lamps; the local police force zaps recalcitrant suspects with toilet brushes; belts can lift their holders aloft. The uncommoners are devoted to acquiring and trading in these phenomenal occurrences of otherwise quotidian objects. An often told family story about their grandmothers girlhood car accident and amnesia takes on new meaning as Ivy and Sebs parents are held for ransom until someone produces the Great Uncommon Goodan uncommon object of extraordinary value sought for its potential to wield power in the common world. The resident community of the dead, formerly in service to the dark ambition of a trading guild known as the Dirge, is filled with both good and nefarious sortsghouls, selkies, hobs, and multiple others. Bells worldbuilding is convincing and good-humored, full of detail and a rich variety of unusual manifestations and people. Theres plenty of exposition and back story to support the adventure promised to continue in subsequent volumes of this trilogy. An auspicious trilogy opener. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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November 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-Debut author Bell introduces Ivy Sparrow, 11, and her older brother, Seb. The children are staying with their grandmother, who is rushed to the hospital after a fall. Within hours, events start to spiral out of control, with kidnappings, death threats, creepy figures, and a race against time to solve an old mystery. Ivy and Seb are swept into a world of adventure, magic, and intrigue. As the story progresses, they discover that their grandmother is from a secret underground world called Lundinor, under the city of London. The city is filled with magical people and common objects used in uncommon ways. The characters are well-rounded and likable. The language is rich and detailed and helps illuminate the setting. Students will dive right into this journey and not want to come up for air. The illustrations add to the dark and scary tone. VERDICT Fans of classic fantasy with a dash of horror will enjoy this new series starter.-Megan McGinnis, Sachem Public Library, Holbrook, NY

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

snicker9 - This book stars out Ivy Sparrow and her older brother in an ambulance, rushing their Granma Sylvie to the hospital. But they have no idea what is in store for them once after they arrive. Right away Granma Sylvie is taken into care. Ivy and Seb's parents are on their way. All appears to be fine(except for the strange man Ivy saw poking around the hospital). But then Ivy and Seb return home-to find it completely trashed. When they are investigating the scene, a strange force of toilet-brush wielding policemen show up. To make things worse they want Ivy and Seb! Ivy and Seb manage to escape with the help of another fugitive Valian. After they arrive at their destination they are amazed. They find themselves in an underground world-Lundinor. In Lundinor, ordinary objects have incredible powers. There are buttons with healing powers, talking bells, candles that make the holder invisible. But the world of Lundinor has secrets buried. Ivy and Seb discover that their family is connected to this uncommon world, and they have no idea of who they can trust. They must race to discover the truth and get to the bottom of hidden history before time runs out. One thing I liked about this book is that it started out with a bang. The story starts right away, with plenty of action. I also like how all the information we receive about this uncommon world is woven into the story, so it doesn't distract from the story. I'm very excited to read the second installment in this series! Jennifer Bell did an amazing job of creating this underground world, it is a completely new concept. I haven't read anything like it, making it even more enjoyable. I recommend this book to middle school and high school readers. I think older elementary kids would also enjoy it. I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars.

November 15, 2016
Grades 5-8 When Ivy's grandma Sylvia takes a tumble and ends up in the emergency room, it sets off a startling chain of events that leads Ivy and her brother, Seb, to a magical underground marketplace called Lundinor. There uncommoners barter seemingly everyday objects imbued with whimsical powers. It's a dazzling discovery, but they're more worried about the oddly dressed constables eager to lock them up for some unknown crime. More unsettling still is that their beloved grandmother is somehow connected to recent troubles in Lundinor, and the real culprits have kidnapped Ivy and Seb's parents. With the help of an intrepid young uncommoner, Ivy and Seb use their smarts to rescue their parents and clear their family name. Bell infuses her debut novel with clever, pun-based magicglasses look like spectacles, before transforming into goblets, for instanceand her world building and scene setting in Lundinor are particularly rich. While the plot sometimes relies on too-convenient occurrences, the slightly spooky atmosphere, well-paced action, and engaging mystery surrounding Ivy and Seb's ancestors will appeal to middle-graders who love fantasy quest stories.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)