Witherwood Reform School Series, Book 1

bibliophile - I quite enjoyed this book! It was more of a quick and adventurous read. This story gave a mysterious, but had a bit humor into it....It starts off with Tobias and Charlotte Eggers with their nanny, Martha... but Martha treats the kids horribly, and tells this "news" to their father saying that she quits (SPOILER: After all the Egger's are living with no mother... it's quite sad but the story get suspenseful each chapter)... So the father, Ralph Eggers, doesn't hear his children out, and punish them; by going up the highway and near Witherwood, and leaving them for about twenty minutes, because that's what his father used to do... Except that plan did not work out... Instead the Egger's are being chased, trying to hide from weird people like Orrin, and trying to look for their dad. But later on... somehow Ralph gets amnesia, and forgot about everything except two clues, Witherwood and Martha... Meeting people who can force others to do something with their mind (*cough *cough Mavin)... meeting different creatures like Lars, and to a random taxi driver named Sam...this book is quite a fun roller coaster. Do you want to ride on it??? Well, go ahead! This book has a bit dark fantasy, suspense into this story. And tomorrow is Tobias and Charlotte's birthday, so to give them a birthday present, why don't you guys try and read this book! I really enjoyed how the author include some symbolic sketches that ran smoothly in the story...The narration of the story reminded me of The Series of Unfortunate Event Series (READ THIS AMAZING/SUSPENSEFUL SERIES)... which gave it more of a mysterious vibe... but watch out because this author leaves us with a cliffhanger!!!! I honestly enjoyed this thrilling book, and I hope I can read the next book in this series... because this author did not leave on a happy ending... instead a suspenseful one...So what exactly Witherwood??? What is inside Witherwood???? Will Ralph recognize his children??? What are the children doing inside Witherwood??? For fans of The Series of Unfortunate Events series, dark magic/fantasy, adventurous books,Lockwood & Co series and the School of Fears series, or people who just want to read a good book... This book is for you!

January 26, 2015
In this Snicketesque series opener, Skye (the Creature from My Closet series) crafts an imaginative, absorbing tale in which nothing is as it seems. As the story opens, Ralph Eggers drops off his “highly mischievous” children—Tobias, 12, and Charlotte, 11—in front of a deserted building in hopes of scaring them into better behavior. When the children’s father does not return, they seek refuge inside the forbidding structure, only to learn that this safe haven is anything but. The Witherwood Reform School, where they discover they’ve landed, is run by strange adults, haunted by terrifying creatures, populated with puppetlike children, and emblazoned with odd, depressing mottos like “Some things aren’t worth trying” and “Time is a trick of the mind.” Thompson’s illustrations, mostly character portraits, are appropriately grim, and there’s never a dull moment as the siblings grapple with abandonment, loss, fear, and the incredible power of the mind. Skye’s portrayal of their bravery and hope brings a ray of hope to the delightfully creepy story line. Ages 9–12. Author’s agent: Laurie Liss, Sterling Lord Literistic.

December 15, 2014
A brother and sister find themselves trapped in a frightening school that threatens to destroy their minds in this dark comedy.Tobias, 12, and Charlotte, 11, don't like their awful nanny, but when they play one trick too many on her, their father becomes enraged, drives them out to the desert and leaves them by the side of the road. Readers soon learn that their dad feels guilty and rushes back to retrieve them, but events intervene, and the siblings wind up virtually imprisoned in the terrible Witherwood Reform School. Apparently run by the odd-looking Mr. Orrin, the school looms like a prison. Tobias fashions a makeshift key that allows the two to sneak around at night, where they meet another student, Fiddle, a boy constantly and unsuccessfully working a Rubik's Cube. He clues them in on some of the school's secrets, which makes them all the more determined to escape. Skye writes in very much the same vein as Lemony Snicket, with menacing dark humor and outlandish characters. The volume opens a new series, so after plenty of suspense and revelations about the truly awful school, readers can be assured that the siblings will still face precarious circumstances in the next installment. One can almost hear the Tim Curry narration. (Adventure. 9-12)

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January 1, 2015

Gr 4-7-This is a dark, fantastical adventure shrouded in mystery, reminiscent of Lemony Snicket's "Series of Unfortunate Events" (HarperCollins). After tricking their nasty governess into eating tadpoles disguised as gravy, Tobias and Charlotte father has had enough. He drives them outside of town into the dark, rainy night and leaves them outside an old, grim, weathered building, named "Witherwood." His intention is to teach them a lesson; never would he have anticipated an accident would leave him with amnesia, unable to even remember he had children, let alone where he had left them. Boldly, Tobias and Charlotte eventually decide to enter Witherwood. Witherwood's headmaster has created a form of mind control, camouflaged as compounds in food. Tobias and Charlotte must overcome such manipulations as they determine the true aim of Witherwood. The fast-moving plot filled with clues will keep readers wondering and surprised at what comes next. An anonymous narrator adds dark humor while providing background information and hints. Skye's witty descriptions and elevated vocabulary add to the novel's peculiarity yet may be challenging for some readers. Expect kids to demand future installments. Highly recommended as a fresh addition to middle grade fantasy collections.-Mary-Brook J. Townsend, The McGillis School, Salt Lake City, UT

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2015
Grades 4-7 Mischievous children Tobias and Charlotte Eggers, in an act of revenge on their unpleasant nanny, accidentally get caught by their father on a very bad day. In an effort to discipline his unruly children, Ralph drops them off at the decrepit Witherwood Reform School, where, with the help of the evil headmaster and a terrible car accident, he soon forgets about them. The eerie excitement kicks up as the kids try to escape the spooky school, only to be caught again by the very odd science teacher. Forced into becoming students, the Eggers children must find their way through the mysterious halls of the reform school, intent on finding their father again. Along the way, they dodge scary teachers and rely on their wits to evade capture with the help of new friends, such as the eccentric Fiddle, who knows more than he realizes. Skye's old-fashioned, witty writing style and amusing humor is the perfect fit for fans of the Spiderwick Chronicles and A Series of Unfortunate Events series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)