(3) 4-6 Dragon Rider series. Translated by Anthea Bell. When the last Pegasus mare dies, leaving behind three eggs, Ben (Dragon Rider) and his father Barnabas journey in search of a griffin feather--their only hope for a successful hatching. But Ben must disguise their quest from his dragon Firedrake, fearing an old dragon-griffin feud will reignite. Funke successfully juggles a large cast and adds notes of humor to this second fantastical adventure.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(3) 1-3 Translated by Oliver Latsch. Eight-year-old mer-kids Lilly and Fin go exploring outside their underwater city, not realizing humans Mr. and Mrs. Snorkel are lurking in the shadows to capture them. A friendly kraken helps the kids escape and then put an end to the Snorkels' nefarious plan. Finely detailed illustrations by the author, along with an appended game board and a picture hunt throughout, round out this enchanting adventure.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 1-3 Translated by Oliver Latsch. Illustrated by Kerstin Meyer. A humorous adventure starts when Stout Sam and his deckhand, Pip, find a pig washed up on shore. They soon discover that the pig, Julie, can smell treasure. She's a pirate pig! When nasty pirate Barracuda Bill steals Julie, Pip and Sam will do anything to get her back. Lively full-color illustrations add extra sparkle to this enjoyable treasure of a chapter book.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 1-3 Translated by Oliver Latsch. Ruffleclaw, an earth monster who's tired of living underground, moves in with his human neighbors, Tommy and his family. Spitting, messy, worm-eating earth monsters, though, do not understand human customs and manners, and Tommy must work hard to get his mother and (highly allergic) father on board. Full of kid-pleasing gross humor, the lively monster story includes black-and-white spot art by the author.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(3) 1-3 Translated by Oliver Latsch. Illustrated by Kerstin Meyer. While walking by the ocean, Emma and her dog discover a mysterious bottle with a blue genie inside. Unfortunately, Karim is unable to grant her wishes without his missing nose ring. The trio searches for the nose ring but quickly learns an evil yellow genie has stolen it and many other treasures. The colorful art pairs perfectly with this enchanting story.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(3) YA Translated by Oliver Latsch. Cursed to die within a year, Jacob Reckless (Reckless) returns to the Mirrorworld in search of a crossbow with the power to heal him. His relationship with human-vixen shapeshifter Fox deepens during the quest, as does the reader's understanding of her backstory. Funke again twists elements of fairy tales to create a chilling, mature fantasy novel for only the most attentive readers.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) 4-6 Translated by Oliver Latsch. Illustrated by Andrea Offermann. Jon Whitcroft, eleven, resents being sent to boarding school; he thinks Mum's new boyfriend is trying to get rid of him. After being accosted by a terrifying band of ghosts with a centuries-old ax to grind, Jon's problems get worse. Funke's consummate way with setting is well interpreted in Offermann's looming illustrations. An author's note provides some history.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2012

(4) YA Translated by Oliver Latsch. When Jacob Reckless was twelve he discovered the Mirrorworld, where reality resembles the darkest of fairy tales. Now twenty-four, Jacob must save his brother, Will, when he stumbles into the world and the Dark Fairy begins turning him to stone. This overly dense but rewarding read will appeal to twisted-fairy-tale and fantasy fans.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(4) 4-6 Translated by Anthea Bell. An enormous cast of characters parades in and out of this final installment of the trilogy, halting the pacing and complicating the plot, and also relegating Meggie's story line to a mere subplot. Nevertheless, the metafictional nature of the novel, coupled with its thematic exploration of mortality and its celebration of bookishness, should provide fans of the series with both comfort and closure.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2009

(3) 4-6 Translated by Anthea Bell. When her magician parents accidentally turn themselves into pigs just as a greedy usurper launches a siege, twelve-year-old aspiring knight Igraine must seek aid while her brother defends their castle. The brisk plot is seasoned with the wacky characters, idiosyncratic details, and nonstop shenanigans typical of Funke's other (relatively) shorter works.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) 1-3 Eleven-year-old Tom survives two more ghostly battles, aided by butt-kicking senior citizen Hetty and benign ghost Hugo. The abundant acronyms are distracting and the heroes' triumph is never in doubt, but the creature-feature plots are accented with humor (most apparent in the generous, energetic spot art), and the adherence to formula allows readers easy entry into Tom's world. Review covers these titles: Ghosthunters and the Muddy Monster of Doom! and Ghosthunters and the Totally Moldy Baroness!

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) K-3 Translated by Chantal Wright. Illustrated by Kerstin Meyer. Bored with her passive royal existence, Princess Isabella rebels and refuses to wear her crown. Her father (the king) punishes her by sending her to wallow in the pigsty...where she's never been happier. The genial story resolves its father/daughter conflict warmly if a bit facilely. Black-outlined illustrations contrast the staid, jewel-toned king and his subjects with the earthier, more high-spirited Isabella.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) 1-3 Eleven-year-old Tom survives two more ghostly battles, aided by butt-kicking senior citizen Hetty and benign ghost Hugo. The abundant acronyms are distracting and the heroes' triumph is never in doubt, but the creature-feature plots are accented with humor (most apparent in the generous, energetic spot art), and the adherence to formula allows readers easy entry into Tom's world. Review covers these titles: Ghosthunters and the Muddy Monster of Doom! and Ghosthunters and the Totally Moldy Baroness!

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 1-3 Young Tom teams up with his grandmother's sprightly ghost-hunting friend, Hetty, and an "Averagely Spooky Ghost" named Hugo to fight each of the titular baddies. The stories are formulaic but lively, and the interspersed caricature-ish illustrations and humor-leavened spookiness make these excellent Halloween reads (or read-alouds) for those not up to truly scary fare. A ghost protection manual is included. Review covers these titles: Ghosthunters and the Gruesome Invincible Lightning Ghost and Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 1-3 Young Tom teams up with his grandmother's sprightly ghost-hunting friend, Hetty, and an "Averagely Spooky Ghost" named Hugo to fight each of the titular baddies. The stories are formulaic but lively, and the interspersed caricature-ish illustrations and humor-leavened spookiness make these excellent Halloween reads (or read-alouds) for those not up to truly scary fare. A ghost protection manual is included. Review covers these titles: Ghosthunters and the Gruesome Invincible Lightning Ghost and Ghosthunters and the Incredibly Revolting Ghost.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) 4-6 Translated by Oliver G. Latsch. Illustrated by Paul Howard. Two lonely children are befriended by the last true Santa (the only surviving holdout against the Great Christmas Council's heartless commercialization of Christmas) when he crash-lands in their neighborhood. Magic abounds as the three try to save the holiday from evil forces in this saccharine but entertaining tale. Generously dispersed drawings bring the season and characters to life.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(2) K-3 Translated by Chantal Wright. Illustrated by Kerstin Meyer. Captain Firebeard, "the terror of the high seas," captures young Molly, sure her parents will pay a "handsome ransom." When Molly's formidable mother--a truly terrifying pirate--shows up with her own crew of fearless ladies, she saves her daughter and exacts a fitting revenge. Meyer's comically detailed illustrations raise the book above its girl-power message. A rowdy, satisfying seafaring adventure.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2005

(3) 4-6 Translated by Anthea Bell. Ben, a homeless orphan, joins a dragon and a furry, bad-tempered brownie in their quest to find the dragon home at the Rim of Heaven and in their mortal combat with Nettlebrand, a golden dragon-machine who wants to exterminate dragonkind. Despite sentimentality and some implausible motivations, this book delivers for readers who want fantastical events straight up.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2004

(3) K-3 Translated by Anthea Bell. Illustrated by Kerstin Meyer. Princess Violetta, who has trained as a knight, is angry when her father announces that she will be not a competitor but the prize in a jousting contest. She finds a way to compete anyway--and strike a blow against sexism. Written with panache and delicately illustrated with images inspired by the Bayeux tapestry, the book makes its point in an original way.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) 4-6 Translated by Anthea Bell. Twelve-year-old Meggie learns that many years ago, while her father was reading the novel Inkheart out loud, his voice somehow brought many of its characters--including the evil despot Capricorn--"slipping out of their story." Now Capricorn wants Meggie's father to summon a malevolent, immortal character called the Shadow from the pages of the book. This tale of adventure and fantasy reaches an especially satisfying conclusion.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2004