(4) 4-6 House of Secrets series. Illustrated by Greg Call. With Chris Rylander. When threats from the book worlds start entering the real one, the Walker siblings (who can travel between worlds) split up to seek the Worldkeepers--each hidden in a different book--and restore the boundaries. The low-hanging humor, clichéd emotional beats, and convoluted plot endemic to the series undermine its conclusion. Still, creative, adrenaline-filled action sequences will hook adventure fans and please series followers.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Greg Call. Book two of this family adventure finds the Walker siblings fighting ancient Roman gladiators and WWII-era Nazi cyborgs in an effort to get home by way of their evil nemesis's magical book. The narrative careens between action set pieces and expository dialogue, and its MacGuffin-laden twists eventually lose impact. However, visually imaginative world-building makes for many memorable, cinema-ready scenes.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Greg Call. Ruthie and Jack learn more about the time-travel magic of the Art Institute of Chicago's miniature Thorne Rooms, including the dangers involved. Though some trips in this series-ender give new insights, including the whereabouts--or whenabouts--of a long-missing museum visitor, other trips' apparent purpose is to include as many rooms as possible. The black-and-white illustrations preserve the series' cheery innocence.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Greg Call. Moving into a new house launches three siblings into cinema-ready hijinks. Transported into a mash-up of the former owner's fantasy-adventure books, they are charged with finding a powerful (and evil) book. Part Inkheart, part Lemony Snicket, this whirlwind nonsensical tour of adventure-novel clichés prioritizes action over character development but turns out enough impressive set pieces to win over genre fans.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Greg Call. Sixth graders Jack and Ruthie, able to shrink and use the Art Institute of Chicago's miniature Thorne Rooms as time portals, clear a friend's family name with evidence from her slave ancestor and almost negate Jack's existence through an encounter with his pirate ancestor. Full of coincidences and sweet resolutions, this series continues to provide adventure for readers unready for more intense scenarios.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Familiars series. Illustrated by Greg Call. In this third installment, cat Aldwyn, frog Gilbert, and blue jay Skylar, the prophesied familiars, embark on a quest to unite seven magical animal descendants before the evil hare Paksahara and her Dead Army of zombie animals forever rid the world of human magic. Rollicking adventure and playful humor add whimsy to this series' theme of fulfilling destiny.

Reviewer: Brittany Schlorff

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Greg Call. In this sequel, Ruthie and Jack use the Thorne Rooms to time-travel for commendable purposes, like convincing a Jewish family to leave Europe before the Holocaust. But the sixth graders must stop an art thief with selfish designs on the rooms. Innocent in tone, this return to a magical Art Institute of Chicago combines a kid-empowering mystery with glimpses into history.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Greg Call. In a quaint New England village, Misty Gordon and her best friend, Yoshi, must find three magical statues before a crew of vengeful ghost pirates claims the powerful loot. An entertaining cast of kooky townspeople and relatives (both living and otherwise); a dash of local history; and a battle to protect the town keep this ghostly mystery humming with suspense.

Reviewer: Bethany Templeton Klem

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Greg Call. During a field trip, Jack and Ruthie find a key at the Art Institute of Chicago that lets them shrink and enter the worlds of the miniature Thorne Rooms. Accessible prose and shadowy illustrations depict the best friends sneaking in and out of history, affecting lives both past and present. Thin plot or not, this original adventure is alluring, filled with magic and mystery.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Greg Call. Barry and Pearson deliver a snappy adventure in this fourth Peter book. Wendy, Peter, and the Starcatchers fight to keep a cache of starstuff from the hands of the evil Skeleton and Baron von Schatten (possessed by Ombra). Though there's too much going on and the book is way too long, the story's unflagging pace makes quick work for fans.

Reviewer: Becca Schaffner

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Greg Call. After his father is "dadnapped," it's up to Jimmy and his friends to save Earth from the apparent culprits: woodchucks from outer space. The book features likable odd characters and a gentle environmental message. While not as all-out campy and clever as M. T. Anderson's Whales on Stilts, this zany, fast-paced adventure will attract a similar readership.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Greg Call. High-spirited milkmaid Lucy sets off into the Scratchy Mountains looking for clues to her mother's disappearance. Lucy's best friend Wynston, a timid prince, follows, but on a different path. Snyder's breezy text incorporates droll humor, though an undercurrent of sadness also flows. Call's old-fashioned black-and-white illustrations make creative use of scale to heighten drama while reinforcing the tale's once-upon-a-time nature.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2009