The Mapmaker's Sons

Gr 5–7—Tom Hawkins is not happy. Then again, few of the students at The Lost Preparatory Academy for Boys are what anyone would call happy. Tom, however, is restless as well, drawn many nights to prowl the dark roofs of the academy searching for something even he can't identify. And then one night two dark-caped figures ambush him and a peg-legged stranger pulls him to safety and into another world. Here in the Five Kingdoms, Tom meets his destiny: a twin brother he never knew of and the map their late father left them that holds the key to ensure peace in both worlds. Joined by Mudge, a street urchin, and Willa, a young healer, they set off over treacherous terrain in the hopes of outpacing Keegan, the ruthless ruler of the Five Kingdoms. The action is fast paced and the story engrossing. The characters are well drawn, and readers will be hard put not to root for Tom, his brother, Mudge, and Willa. As in any good adventure, the characters face betrayal and redemption. The language may be a bit elevated for the intended audience, but the story is so engrossing that readers will want to push through to find out how it all ends. Pair this novel with Laurisa White Reyes's The Rock of Ivanore (Tanglewood, 2012) and let the quests begin.—Mary Beth Rassulo, Ridgefield Library, CT