Island of Silence

February 1, 2013

Gr 5-9-When the wall between Quill and Artime fell, it allowed the disatisfied members of each kingdom the freedom to choose where they wanted to live. With the disruption of their ordered world, many Quillens blame the Artimean leader, Mr. Today, for stealing their working class. As Mr. Today works in conjunction with the new Quillen leader to bring peace, Aaron Stowe, disgraced former assistant to the High Priestess, vows to seek not only power, but also revenge. Meanwhile, his twin, Alex, is being groomed by Mr. Today to eventually lead the creative minds of Artime, learning secrets known only to the one who created their land. Alex and Mr. Today are also seeking an explanation for the startling appearance of two silent, foreign children. When several of Alex's best friends go missing, his greatest fear is that they may be trapped in the hostile world from which the strange children escaped. Narrated by James Langton, McMann's sequel (2012) to Unwanteds (2011, both Aladdin) deftly continues the story, drawing listeners into a darker, deeper world. Langton brings a sense of somberness to the story as Alex struggles to cope with the changes in his beloved Artime. Constantly under attack from Quill and facing the prospect of being left in charge, for even a short while, Alex's self-doubt is consistently evident in the narration, and as the stakes grow ever higher, listeners will be left hovering on the edges of their seats, desperate for the next book in this exciting dystopian fantasy series.-Jessica Miller, West Springfield Public Library, MA

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