Fablehaven by Brandon Mull

 

Kendra and Seth don't know their paternal grandparents very well, so they are not that thrilled to learn that they will be staying with them for two weeks while their parents go on a cruise.  Their grandparents live on a small farm on the edge of a large forest.  Soon after they arrive, Kendra and Seth feel that some things are not right.  Their grandmother isn't even there, and their grandfather makes lame excuses for her absence.  He also has strict rules about where they can go and what they can do.  Seth just happens to be the kind of kid that thinks rules don't apply to him, and before he knows it he had gotten himself, and ultimately everyone on the farm in big trouble with the mystical creatures that live in the nearby wood.  

I am only a little embarrassed to say that this is my first time reading Fablehaven.  I know it is hugely popular with kids, but I haven't been thrilled with anything else Brandon Mull has written and I didn't really hope this would be any better.  Still, when it came time to pick books for the parent/child book club in September I wanted one a lot of kids would be familiar with and like in hopes of generating a good attendance. As I looked through the list of possibilities I decided this was my best choice.  Of course, that meant I would have to actually read it.  

I will admit, I like it better than either the Candy Shop War or The Beyonders. I wasn't even able to finish either of those.  I did finish this one, and I can see why kids like it.  There is an element of wish fulfillment and some exciting actions scenes. My main issue with Brandon Mull is that the kids in his books are too dumb.  They do really stupid things for no good reason.  This book had that same problem.  Seth is just so stupid.  His grandfather says his life is in danger if he looks out the window.  There is ample proof that this is true, but he looks out the window anyway!  How dumb can you get?  I think the charm for children is that the dumb kid makes all these mistakes, and in the end it turns out okay anyway.  I think it gives dumb kids hope that they may actually survive to adulthood.  (259 p. 2006)