Children's books

The underground city of Cove forbids creativity, but when good-boy Trent and rebel Kallista begin following clues left by Kallista’s late father, they stumble upon a fabulous invention and a long-buried secret. The theme of enforced conformity sounds familiar to readers of The Giver and other dystopian novels, and the plot leans heavily on coincidence; but the brisk pace accelerates to nonstop thrills at the end. Trent and Kallista make an appealing team, and their child-parent relationships reflect similar dynamics in our own world. Loads of mechanical detail make this an especially entertaining series opener for boys.

My Diary from the Edge of the World

The dreaded Cloud has settled over Cliffden, Maine, and Gracie Lockwood believes it has come for her little brother Sam. Her parents agree, which is why they buy an old motor home and head for the West Coast to find an alternate world where Sam might be spared. The story explores the ramifications of multiverse theory by merging supernatural characters, such as witches and guardian angels, with a recognizable (though flat) United States. “Infinite possibility,” rather than God, is the main source of hope, and the Lockwoods don’t quite cheat death, but family ties hold fast in spite of severe trials.

A Week without Tuesday

When writers keep disappearing then reappearing in remote locations, Tuesday McGillycuddy sets off with her faithful dog Baxterr to find out why. With the timeless feel of classics like Edward Eager’s Half Magic, this lively and sweet sequel to Finding Serendipity explores writer-created story worlds, which often intersect our own. The plucky and inventive heroine engages young readers with cheeky, sometimes scatological humor that offsets mild fantasy violence. While recognizing the power of creativity, the story misses the Greater Power that will never fail and an even greater story waiting beyond this world.

Dr. Critchlore’s School for Minions

Aspiring werewolf Runt Higgins is training to be a junior henchman at Dr. Critchlore’s until someone starts sabotaging the school. Even as his own situation worsens, Higgins remains a cheerful, almost quixotic narrator who takes friendship, loyalty, and courage seriously. His world of competing minion academies and evil overlords makes room for clever allusions to our world, like the NFL (Nefarious Forces League). Parents may wish to take note of one four-letter word, brain-eating zombies, and some mild middle-grade bathroom humor, but fantasy lovers will relish this minion adventure.

Spotlight

Most families can’t travel to countless museums around the globe to study ancient relics. Richard Wilkinson and Jo Nelson’s Historium (Big Picture Press, 2015) is a beautifully illustrated, oversized book that brings detailed drawings of artifacts to your lap. Carefully selected archaeological discoveries from many continents fill double-page spreads, with commentary identifying the object, its purpose, and its cultural significance.

Some of the historical commentary seems to rely on archaeological assumptions, and the dates presuppose an old earth, measuring years by the “millions.” However, most of the artifacts fit within a biblical time frame, including a few examples that recognize or affirm biblical accounts, such as the Isaiah Scroll (one of the Dead Sea Scrolls). Christianity receives full credit for its influence on world history.

Books about ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome abound, but none gives such a broad scope to lesser-known people groups, cultures, and religions. Historium is an excellent resource for budding historians and those who educate them.—Megan Saben