Review: Three and a half stars: A fun, magical adventure for middle grade readers.
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 11 9, 2013
Kristina is dreading the last day of school before Christmas break. She tries to hide under her soft pillow and burrow deeper into her blankets, but alas her efforts fail and she is now running late. Grabbing her pet rat, Raymond, she makes a mad dash to the bus. At last, she has survived another day at school. Unfortunately for Christina, school is not always pleasant. She is often picked on, but thankfully she has Raymond and her favorite teacher, Miss Hensley. At the end of the day, Miss Hensley gives Kristina a rather unusual gift. An old hat box that buzzes strangely. On the bus, two of her nemesis attempt to take the box, but thankfully she is rescued by the kindly bus driver. At home safe in her room, Christina opens the box to find a strange, tarnished ball. Puzzled she puts the box away and goes to bed. Somehow the silver marble falls down the laundry shoot. Christina hangs down the laundry shoot attempting to retrieve it. She loses her grip and slides down the laundry shoot. When she opens her eyes, she finds herself in a strange land under a pile of leaves. A great adventure awaits Christina. It seems she is destined to fulfill an old prophecy and return the magic warble to its resting place. Unfortunately, there are others who wish to destroy the warble. Can Christina safely get the magic warble to its resting spot?What I Liked:*The Warble is an entertaining adventure read that will appeal to younger readers. This book has lots of action, danger, magic and more. If you know a middle grader that likes fantasy adventure books, this is a good pick.*I enjoyed all the magical characters in this book. There are dwarves, gnomes, fairies, and numerous talking animals. The variety of characters will appeal to a young reader with an active imagination.*I liked that one of the main messages of this book is to not give up, to keep going and keep trying, even when the odds are stacked against you, persevere.*I enjoyed all the surprises and plot twists in this one. There were traitorous betrayals and redemptions throughout. This book keeps you guessing as to everyone's true intentions and there were definitely a couple of jaw dropping surprises.*This book is appropriate for the middle grade reader.And The Not So Much:*This is a personal preference, I was a little put off at the wicked Queen's constant berating and use of words such as stupid and so on. Granted, I realize it was all done in order to show how depraved she was, but I would prefer a little less of the derogatory words in a middle grade book.*I was left with a couple of lingering questions: why did her teacher give her the magic warble to begin with? Why did Rumalock behave the way he did? How did the wicked Queen usurp the previous rulers? Also the book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, leaving the reader wondering what will happen next to Christina.*I know I am not the target audience so this probably won't be an issue for younger readers. I would love just a bit more detail in the world building.The Warble is a fast and engaging read for younger readers. It is a bit reminiscent of C.S. Lewis' The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe. A young girl unexpectedly finds herself in a strange land inhabited by dwarves, gnomes, fairies and talking animals as well as a cruel Queen. Christina faces a daunting task: return the warble to lift the curse. This book has lots of action and surprises that will engage young readers. Look for the sequel: The Black Shard available now.Favorite Quotations:"The load of worry began to get very heavy, and he felt things couldn't possibly get any worse.""Look at your friend. Why don't you follow her example? He pointed to Davina, who was calmly gazing out at the Indra River and picking her nose. "She seems to be having a nice time.""Her majesty---what an unsuitable title for such a horrible being, he thought.""Don't worry about it, if you don't have many friends at school, you're a unique girl and if you find a few unique friends in life, be grateful for that."I won a copy of this book. I received no compensation for this review.Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.