Review: Being 12 is no picnic!
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 10 1, 2013
12 Alive or Dead: The Witching Hour is a short chapter book suitable for kids 7 (if they are brave about witches etc) and up. It takes place on another planet, Lunas, and revolves around Anne, who is turning 12. On Lunas, being 12 signals the beginning of strict rules and terrible consequences if one breaks them. The author dedicated the book to her children, and mentioned it grew out of bedtime stories, and I can really see that in here in the narrative style and flow, and in the child-based themes: children's concerns with growing up and being independent, the stark difference between good and evil that they see in the world around them, and the resilience and bravery they will need to navigate the world.  By placing the action on another planet, there is just enough remove to look at these issues without it being uncomfortably close for the child reading it.Anne must face the new rules and consequences, and on top of that, she must try and save the world from the growing tide of darkness that could engulf them all. Will she be strong enough?The book also contains drawings, which I think kids would really like, but I found them distracting; still - kids are the audience for this book, and I know my daughter would enjoy it once she gets a little older.