FABLEHAVEN by Brandon Mull
Kendra and Seth are dreading spending two weeks with their Grandpa and Grandma Sorenson. First, their trip was prompted by the death of both of their maternal grandparents who requested in their will that all of their children (including Kendra and Seth’s parents) use their inheritance to take a long vacation. Second, although Kendra and Seth were very close to their grandparents who passed away, they hardly know the Sorensons at all. They’ve never been to visit, and every time their grandparents visit them, there is something distant and mysterious about them. When they arrive at the farm, their grandmother is missing, and their grandfather immediately lectures them with bizarre rules and forbidden areas of the property. But when Seth begins exploring out of bounds and Kendra finds some keys and a mysterious diary hidden in the attic, they discover that there are more secrets on Grandpa Sorenson’s farm than they ever could have imagined. Suddenly plunged into a world of fairies, witches, naiads, and other fantastical creatures, Seth and Kendra quickly learn that even a small act of carelessness could plunge their entire family into mortal danger.
The Fablehaven series is sure to be popular with fantasy lovers. While much of the first book is devoted to establishing the characters, the fantasy world, and the future conflict, the action picks up toward the end of the novel and leaves you hanging with the promise of sequels. The adventure continues in Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star. There are five books in the series.
If you liked Fablehaven, you might like The Sisters Grimm by Michael Buckley or Dreamwood by Heather Mackey. Teen readers who liked Fablehaven and enjoy dark fantasy might enjoy Reckless by Cornelia Funke.
Susan the Librarian 