Reading Arthur and the Minimoys is like watching a movie...and after reading some reviews, I can see way. It's being developed as a CGI movie in 2007, that said it's also a romping good adventure...a kind of Honey I Shrunk the Kids meets The Secret of Nimh with a smidge of Indiana Jones. As the story starts out, we meet Arthur who is staying with his Grandma and both sorely miss Grandpa who disappeared without a trace four years before. Family love is clearly present and Arthur really loves to visit with his Grandfathers collection of African books and masks, reliving through this the many adventures his Grandfather had as a younger man. It is the day of Arthur's tenth birthday the dastardly Mr. Davido shows up and tells them they have three days to come up with the money they owe or he's taking the house and everything in it...it's at this moment that Arthur refuses to take it "lying down" sets out to find his grandfathers long lost treasure.

From there, Arthur is transported to the miniature world of the Minimoys where he meets the feisty princess Selenia and her somewhat silly (but quite loveable) brother Beta. They set out together on an Adventure that spans the garden (which is a vast and dangerous as the wildest jungle from the height of ¾ of an inch) to stop the evil M, the cursed! As they make their way to the Forbidden City they face innumerable obstacles with courage and a bit of humor! Will they make it to the Forbidden City? Will they be able to stop the evil M, the cursed? Will Arthur get the treasure back before the cruel Mr. Davido boots his grandma out of her house? Those things are left to a second book...but readers won't be too disappointed with the build up to the arrival at the city because the journey there is half the adventure and a whole lot of fun to read.

Overall...this isn't great literature; it's just plain old fun reading. The story is easy to follow, the good guys are all good (and likeable even) the bad guys are all totally evil and the parallel story line between the "real" world (the M, the Cursed and Mr. Davido) and the world of the Minimoys adds a nice second layer to the story. This book would make nice light reading for a couple of nights for readers aged 8-12...nothing too taxing, but highly entertaining for a few hours! I give it four stars. ( )