Hollow Earth

September 17, 2012
In the first novel from actor John Barrowman (best known for his lead role in Torchwood) and his sister, readers meet 12-year-old Matt and Em Calder, telepathic twins who can make the pictures they draw come magically alive. For centuries, “Animares” like the twins (among them Vincent van Gogh) have been governed by the Council of Guardians, which controls and guides their abilities, “Because an Animare may be a danger to others or themselves.” Matt and Em, however, are the result of a previously unheard of marriage between an Animare and a Guardian, and the limits of their powers are unknown. The twins’ art
magic is ingeniously portrayed, and the Scottish setting is nicely handled as a corrupt member of the Council and the evil secret society known as Hollow Earth pursue the children. The novel’s action sequences, which repeatedly require characters to whip out sketchbooks and pencils at dire moments, can be cumbersome, though, and while the twins are entertaining protagonists, other characters come across as cartoonish. Ages 8–12.

January 1, 2013

Gr 5-10-Em and Matt Calder, 12, inherited the attributes of their Guardian father, Malcolm, and their Animare mother, Sandie. This unprecedented combination puts them in danger from those who want to extinguish their powers and those who want to exploit them for evil ends. When the twins begin to reveal their Animare ability to turn their artistic imaginings into real-world manifestations, they flee with Sandie to an island off the Scottish coast. There their paternal grandfather, Renard, a powerful Guardian, can offer some protection and explanations of the Animare and Guardian attributes and responsibilities. However, no one explains what happened to Malcolm or what is in the satchel Sandie keeps with her. After she disappears and Renard is severely injured, the siblings use their powers to animate their way out of dangerous encounters. Aided by a deaf teenager with lip-reading ability and technological know-how, they thwart those who want to use the twins to open the door to Hollow Earth, a place where all evil creatures are trapped for eternity. A parallel story set in the Middle Ages reveals how an Animare monk illuminating manuscripts saved the island's inhabitants from Viking invaders. Both past and present victories over dark forces rely on the intervention of a peryton, a fantastical creature. At the conclusion, readers can pause for breath from the plot's heart-pounding pace. Added to the elements of history and myth are references to paintings by artists such as Van Gogh and descriptions of the island. These topics should supply readers with plenty to explore while they wait eagerly for the next installment.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato

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