What if fairies, witches and trolls existed in this world but we didn't know about them because they were protected and kept in safe havens in different locations around the globe? This is the premise of Fablehaven, in which, Kendra and her brother Seth are sent to live with their grandparents while their parents are on a cruise. Only the children aren't aware of the haven they live in until they discover the fairies and the milk that opens their eyes to the creatures around them. Through a magical mistake, Seth gets the fairies on his bad side which doesn't help on the night the spooks come out and their grandfather goes missing. Eventually the children must release an evil witch to help save their family, but its Kendra who must battle the magical beings to save Fablehaven and the world.
The stakes grow in this story and the fairies aren't twinkling do-gooders and the witches aren't going to school. I liked that there was a female lead and that the children weren't orphans (at least not in this book, who knows what happens in the future). I think this would be a good transitional fantasy for those who are maybe wanting to jump into Harry Potter but aren't quite ready for something as grim yet.
While I think the story had a slow beginning, it was needed so that it could match the end. The climax between the witch and Kendra could have been slowed down, but the addition of mythological creatures and the characterization of the children was better than in Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief.
Intended reading level: Grades 5-8 Interest level: Grade 5
Genre: fantasy, fiction
First in series.
Comparable titles: Samuel Blink and the Forbidden Forest, Aliens on Vacation
Book connections: bowls of milk, rope with knots, chocolate milk-hot chocolate, jack-o-lanterns
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