Juniper Berry

Gr 4—6—Juniper Berry misses the days when her parents were less famous. They have become two of the most recognizable actors in the world, and the 11-year-old rattles around their mansion with only her dog for company. Even when her mother and father are home, they are too preoccupied to act out the plays that she writes for them. When Juniper meets a boy wandering around the grounds, he tells her he has noticed a similar withdrawal in his parents and believes the adults' strange behavior is linked to a mysterious tree on Juniper's property. As she and Giles explore the tree more thoroughly, they find a hole in its base and a staircase. They discover an underground lair that is the home of Skeksyl, a shadowy creature that trades in special balloons. Those who agree to breathe into one will have their innermost desires fulfilled. As the children are drawn deeper into the eerie world, they realize that their parents have fallen victim to Skeksyl's temptations and must find a way to reclaim their souls and restore the unity that their families once enjoyed. While Kozlowsky's imagined world is an original one, readers are never truly drawn in as events unfold, and even the main characters come across as flat and unappealing. Lyn Gardner's Into the Woods (Random, 2007) and N. D. Wilson's "100 Cupboards" trilogy (Random) are better choices for fantasy lovers who enjoy themes of the importance of family. Full-page, atmospheric illustrations appear throughout.—Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Schools, VA