The Emerald Atlas by John Stephens

Summary:

Kate, Michael, and Emma have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage. Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about.

Until now.

Before long, Kate, Michael, and Emma are on a journey to dangerous and secret corners of the world...a journey of allies and enemies, of magic and mayhem. And—if an ancient prophecy is correct—what they do can change history, and it is up to them to set things right.

The Emerald Atlas brims with humor and action as it charts Kate, Michael, and Emma's extraordinary adventures through an unforgettable, enchanted world. (from GoodReads)

Summary:

I'm not a big reader of Middle Grade. I honestly probably haven't read a Middle Grade book since middle school. Not that there aren't some great MG books out there; just none that really appealed to me. But I received The Emerald Atlas for review and I thought I'd give it a try. I'm glad I did because I really enjoyed it and thought it was a cute read.

The Emerald Atlas reminds me a little of Harry Potter: there's secret magic, mythical creatures, good and evil wizards, time travel and prophecies. All the things that kids (and adults) love. John Stephens did a great job of creating this new world inside our slightly less exciting world.

Kate, Emma, and Michael have been in orphanages for their whole lives, and suddenly sent to this new orphanage in the middle of nowhere. And the weird part is that they are the only kids at the orphanage. They are exploring the big mansion and come across a book that takes them 15 years in the past. In the past, the town in which they are now living has been taken over by the evil Countess, who is trying to search for this magical book. A lot of time travel ensues, along with getting captured by dwarves and outwitting a host of creepy creatures. I absolutely adored all the adventures that Kate, Emma and Michael get themselves into throughout the novel. There's also a lot of funny parts that had me chuckling.

The Emerald Atlas is a cute read that I would recommend for any age, but especially those who enjoy Middle Grade. The Emerald Atlas is humorous and adventurous, but also has a whole lot of heart.

Rating: 7 outof 10.

Release Date: Today!

FTC: recieved for review from publisher.

2011/Knopf Books/432 pages.