  | Full Text Reviews: School Library Journal - 03/01/2011 Gr 5–7—Life in his rural town has always been boring for 14-year-old Daniel, but this summer is different. The Uncertainties that have plagued nearby cities with unrest and violence bring first refugees and then soldiers to Everwood. One of the refugees is 13-year-old Emily, granddaughter of the town witch, who is as fascinated by the nearby mysterious and inaccessible island as Daniel is. When sinister Captain Sloper becomes interested in the island as well, Daniel and Emily know they must go on a dangerous and almost deadly mission to save it. It is 1923, but an alternate 1923 with those Uncertainties. Otherwise the setting is one that will feel familiar to readers of Ingrid Law's Scumble (Dial, 2010) and N.D. Wilson's 100 Cupboards (Random, 2007)—rural America laced with subtle magic. Daniel cannot tell a lie (literally), and Emily is heir to the magic that permeates the island, but they are also regular kids facing a scary outside force in the form of violent, unpredictable soldiers. The island and its protectors and inhabitants are a lively blend of whimsy and unsettling mystery, a tone that permeates the book. Readers will still have questions at the end (about the Uncertainties, about the island), but the narration allows enough room to ponder and imagine possible answers. A suspenseful, thought-provoking fantasy.—Eva Mitnick, Los Angeles Public Library - Copyright 2011 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission. Booklist - 03/01/2011 After government soldiers looking for rebels and ammunition move into their houses and several townspeople abruptly disappear, 14-year-old Daniel Crowley, his younger brother Wes, and neighbor Emily decide to escape to a reputedly inaccessible island that has always fascinated them. With the help of an old map, they travel back in time and across the water, where an albino leopard leads them to a hidden paradise that is sheltering several of Emily’s relatives. Although it’s tempting to remain, the three realize they are needed back home since the militia are threatening to destroy the entire town. Intriguing characters (Daniel cannot lie; Emily reads minds; Wes is a map expert) and a strong sense of quest will keep readers turning the pages of this fast-paced book, despite the fact that the war (referred to as the Uncertainties) is never fully explained. Fans of the author’s earlier Sylvie Cycle—The Great Good Thing (2001), Into the Labyrinth (2002), and The Constellation of Sylvie (2006)—will enjoy the complexities of this more mature fantasy. - Copyright 2011 Booklist. Loading...
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