FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull

There's this thing we booksellers do all the time: we sell books we've never read. We're pretty sure they're really good, and we're pretty sure we'd enjoy them if we ever got to them, but for one or twelve reasons or another we haven't. However, they seem to fit a niche, so sell them we do. FABLEHAVEN was in that category for me until yesterday. And now it is not! Brandon Mull is one of the authors Pudd'nHead has coming this spring, and I would like to review something by each of them on this blog between now and their appearance. Brandon's not the first author we're having, but I've actually chosen this book to kick off my new fantasy/otherworldly book club at the store, so I read it first and am thusly reviewing it first! Now that I've read it, of course, I honestly can't believe I missed out on it for four years. (And I want to read the sequels, which is a problem, because I barely have time for the first book in a series.) I'm really looking forward to discussing this with the kids (and having Brandon at the shop). Kendra and Seth are being packed off to grandparents they barely know while their parents go on a cruise. They've never been to their grandparents' house; no one in the family really has. They're told their grandmother is away; their grandfather is a little odd and has a lot of rules they have to follow. When Seth breaks the rules (something he's going to do a lot), they begin to learn the truth about their grandparents: they are caretakers of Fablehaven, a secret sanctuary for mythical creatures. Their grandfather brings them into the fold, but Seth's continued overactive curiosity soon puts not just Fablehaven in danger, but also their family...and, possibly, the world. I love the characters here. Kendra and Seth have an awesome, believable relationship, with exactly the right amount of bickering and affection. Lena, their grandfather's housekeeper, may be my favorite character - except she has to vie with their grandfather. The setting unfolds slowly, with a great balance of secrecy and surprises. There are awesome moments of humor (wait until the fairy broker shows up). There ARE a lot of secrets here, so I don't want to say much if you too have missed out on this great series. But this would be a great read-aloud for families - good adventure, good characters, a little mystery, a little creepiness, some humor, and some wonderful plotting. It's good for kids reading up and for anyone who loves the SEPTIMUS HEAP books, GREGOR THE OVERLANDER, CHILDREN OF THE LAMP etc. Now that I've read it, I'm even more eager to sell it. (Incidentally, how I would handsell it was basically like this: "FABLEHAVEN is about what happens when siblings learn that their grandparents run a secret sanctuary for mythical creatures." A lot of handsells are exactly that short; that one worked a lot. )

Comments

[Doret]

Thanks so much for the handsell tip. It will help as I contiune to fake the funk until I get a chance to check out the first book.

[michelle]

Fablehaven is next on my to-read list. I've heard it is so good.

[Sam]

This is a great book, and that goes for the whole series.

[Melissa]

Hey Sam! Thanks for commenting. You've got great taste in books so this is high praise indeed. Say hi to your dad.

[Sam]

Thanks. I also commented on OKAY FOR NOW by Gary D. Schmidt. It was great.