Atlantis Rising

Gr 5–10—Barron leaves Arthurian legend behind to explore the legend of Atlantis, beginning with Promi, a young thief with a strong sweet tooth, who angers his city's leaders by stealing a jeweled belt buckle from the evil Deputy High Priest Grukarr. Promi soon learns that he has become part of an ongoing conflict between good and evil. The forces of evil are led by Grukarr, while the forces of good are embodied in Atlanta, a girl with magical powers and a love of nature. While Promi and Atlanta have different views on things like the importance of eating sweets, they soon develop a friendship and work together to defeat Grukarr's plans to destroy Atlanta's beloved forest home. A mysterious prophecy, magical creatures, and visits to the spirit realm add complexity to the ongoing action as Promi faces a variety of dangers and learns how to use his own magical abilities. Atlanta and Promi's relationship grows realistically as they work together, and Promi learns about sacrificing his own pleasure for what really matters. The conclusion is bittersweet and explains the creation of Atlantis, leaving room for sequels. While there's more action than character development, fans of Barron's many books about Merlin will find much to enjoy here, as will those who loved of Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson" books (Hyperion).—Beth L. Meister, Milwaukee Jewish Day School, WI