The Inkwell Chronicles: The Ink of Elspet (The Inkwell Chronicles #1)
SEARCH IN  
Click here to buy posters
In Association with Amazon.com
 
ORDER BOOK
 BUY THE BOOK OR EBOOK
  
 
The best books for kids allow young readers to see themselves in the story’s young heroes. And in The Inkwell Chronicles: The Ink of Elspet the first Inkwell Chronicles book by author J. D. Peabody, a couple of very different siblings find themselves on an unexpected quest to save the world’s magic.

The story goes on a magical adventure with Everett and Bea, who suddenly have nowhere to turn after their father is presumed dead in a train crash. When they discover a pen in his briefcase, they’re surprised to find that the Ink it contains has strong magical powers. When they use the Ink, it connects them to some of their father’s friends—and the children soon find themselves racing through England and Scotland, trying to evade ferocious enemies in an attempt to find their father and protect the last of this magical Ink.

This middle-grade fantasy follows the children on some imaginative adventures—whether they’re flying on the back of a gigantic bird or racing to save a boy’s life in the depths of an ancient well. They travel through magical portals and mysterious train cars, rushing around the country while trying to protect themselves and the Ink from those who wish to destroy it for good. There’s certainly a lot of action and adventure here—but there’s so much to learn about this magical Ink, so many characters to get to know, and so many paths to follow that it all feels incredibly complicated. Each time readers pick it up again, it may take a while to sort through all of the different storylines again.

The numerous storylines can, at times, make the action difficult to follow. It’s a lengthy book, and it sometimes follows four or more different groups of characters at a time. But despite the complexities of the story, young readers will enjoy seeing themselves in these heroic young characters—in kind, caring, adventure-loving Bea, who will do anything she can to rescue those who need help, or in her more reserved older brother, Everett, who struggles with the fact that his abilities aren’t as obvious as his sister’s but who learns to find strength and confidence in his own talents along the way. And that makes it an enjoyable—and meaningful—adventure for kids.

This first Inkwell Chronicles fantasy is definitely complex—and some readers may struggle to keep up. But for middle-grade readers who enjoy adventure and fantasy (and for their lit-loving parents), The Ink of Elspet is an attention-grabbing start to the series.


Listen to the review on Shelf Discovery:

Submissions Contributors Advertise About Us Contact Us Disclaimer Privacy Links Awards Request Review Contributor Login
© Copyright 2002 - 2024 NightsAndWeekends.com. All rights reserved.