The Ether: Vero Rising

Gr 4–6—Twelve-year-old Vero, who has always known deep down that he could fly, discovers that he is a guardian angel. He begins his training with others his age in The Ether, a mystical world in which preteen angels face physical trials, harsh landscapes, vividly realized monsters, and challenges to their faith. The author's roots as a television writer show through in the episodic, cinematic scenes. Narrated in the third person, chapters switch locations and time periods, often to the detriment of the overall flow. Character motivations are lacking, aside from the sympathetic Vero. The portrayal of Judiasm, as embodied by a young Jewish girl who explains various Christian ideas (she is regarded as an expert as a result of training for her Bat Mitzvah), seems included primarily to bolster Evangelical beliefs. The underlying themes place this title and its probable sequels with fans of "Left Behind Kids" (Tyndale House).—Rhona Campbell, Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC