I'm not going to recount the plot of the story to you because there are a million other reviews one can read if that is what they desire. However I will give you the skinny on the book and the skinny is…this book is better than Harry Potter. First, I will own up to the fact that I am a Harry Potter aficionado. Second, while some people think books should not be compared to others but reviewed in their own right I disagree. Harry Potter set a new standard for children's fantasy books; it is also a series, love or hate it, that is known by just about everyone, everywhere. Since the Fablehaven series is also a children's fantasy series a comparison to Harry Potter is a logical step. Now, why is Fablehaven better than Harry Potter? Fablehaven is simply more realistic and that makes it easier to relate to. Here is a list of reasons why it is a good series to dive into.

1) Fablehaven is for everyone (all ages). I am 26 years old and have no children. I was killing time at Wal-Mart, saw the book, thought it looked interesting, and the words were small not over-sized children's type so I decided to check it out. Within the first 30 pages I was hooked; I couldn't put it down. After I was done I suggested it to some of my philosophy classmates and forced it upon my 56 year old mother (who told me I was pathetic for being so enthralled by a children's series). That children's series kept her up night after night…(who's pathetic now?) There are many characters of many different ages in the series that play distinct roles. This is a FAMILY BOOK. It would be most enjoyed together, as a family, by being read out loud.

2) The children in the story, Seth and Kendra, are akin to realistic children. One thing about Harry Potter I never quite liked was the fact that he was very impulsive and irrationally dove into situations that he was only able to get out of due to good fortune, the help of others, and luck. In Fablehaven the characters make calculated decisions, sometimes they take risks based on their calculations and sometimes they don't. They are also always aware of the consequences of their decisions and there are many times in the story where the children, as well as the other characters, have to pay the piper for their choices. This series teaches a very important lesson with regards to choices, and consequences.

3) Brandon Mull, the author genius, nailed the brother/sister combo of Seth and Kendra. In the series the reader can see in their relationship sibling rivalry, the lightness of teasing, and sibling love. Kendra is rather shy, is very cautious and calculating, and slow to flame. Seth, on the other hand, is a quick fire, always jumps in head first, acts impulsively, is defiant and sneaky, and is often in trouble because of it. Mull uses these characters and their opposite traits to create humor. There is one scene where Seth does something (I don't remember what) and after he does it he says something like, "That was worth 100" and Kendra says, "Yeah, 100 idiot points." And Seth replies, "What you call idiot points I call awesome bucks." And I just busted up laughing because my 18 year old brother still makes comments like that. Mull hits that old fashioned, classic, boy vs. girl humor perfectly.

This series is worth the time, the energy, and the money. The kids will enjoy it, the parents will enjoy it, and everyone will benefit from the time spent together reading it. In the back of the books Mull provides a reading guide. The questions are priceless. While, they are for children I think they really enable parents to talk to their children and get involved in their lives. One of the questions is "Kendra has faced multiple betrayals over the course of the series. Which do you think was the worst and why? Have you ever felt betrayed by a friend? How did you handle it?" I say, "Drink the Milk and jump on board!" ( )

Finally read this one, after hearing about it from my friends. It took me a while to get into it, but once it got going, I liked it a lot. I found Seth to be a really annoying character! I got tired of the way he never seemed to learn his lesson. Looking forward to reading the next in the series and seeing what happens next. ( )

I thought Fablehaven would be a stronger book than what it was. I was expecting a little more fantasy. Fablehaven reads like Pond Scum. ( )

A visit to one’s grandparents in Connecticut may not seem to be the most auspicious plot for a hit young adult fantasy, but therein lies the mastery of Brandon Mull’s Fablehaven.

When their parents head off on a cruise, Seth and Kendra head off to spend time with the Grandparents they hardly know. They soon find themselves spending time not just with their Grandpa but with Fablehaven’s other inhabitants—naiads, trolls, ogres, fairies, witches, imps, satyrs, golems, and the like.

In Fablehaven, drinking milk is not solely for the purpose of attaining a specific daily calcium intake. Rather, Seth and Kendra must drink milk from a magical cow in order to attain sight of magical beings. Fablehaven operates according to ancient laws that preserve a tenuous order between the human caretakers and the magical creatures inside the haven. Their Grandfather hopes that by being able to see the haven’s creatures, the children will be wise enough to abide by the ancient laws and to leave the creatures alone.

Warnings can only do so much, however, and despite Grandfather’s warnings, Seth wanders into the forest (leading to a close escape from a witch), captures a fairy (leading to a retributive fairy attack after which he looks suspiciously like a walrus), and opens his window on Midsummer’s Eve (leading to the kidnapping of his grandfather, the unleashing of an evil creature, and the impending demise of Fablehaven).

Seth’s repeated disobedience advances the plot, but also makes him a somewhat disagreeable character whose intelligence readers will repeatedly question. Seth unfortunately does not heed the advice of Dale, one of Fablehaven’s caretaker’s, when Dale tells him, “Smart people learn from their mistakes. But the real smart ones learn from the mistakes of others”. Seth does not learn from the mistakes of others, nor does he seem to learn from his own firsthand mistakes.

Despite Seth’s difficult-to-identify-with character, Kendra’s behavior is more palatable as she strives to right the imbalances brought to Fablehaven by Seth’s actions. Overall, Fablehaven moves at a fast pace and includes enough exotic creatures and suspenseful episodes that it will likely acquire a cadre of loyal readers, particularly as the series progresses with the sequel Rise of the Evening Star (May 2007) and beyond. ( )

This book is very similar to Spiderwick Chronicles--except more annoying with a main character with no sense. But, then there would be no plot if somebody wasn't stirring things up. I liked it enough to read the next book. ( )