Louie Stowell

I found the book to be brilliantly written and laughed on every page. It is told from the perspective of Loki, who is now a child and has to live on earth as a punishment. His observations on mundane things like school, dog walks, and breakfast cereal are hilarious.
The story is gripping and written in a diary format, with interesting insights on Norse mythology, cars, capitalism, wars, and the internet from an 11-year-old's perspective.
The humorous illustrations and interactive elements show more that comment on Loki's lies and scores make the book even funnier. show less

A satisfying conclusion to the trilogy. Kit and her friends learn about responsibility and are ready to take the whole business more seriously. They also learn about the difference between protecting someone and controlling them. (Helicopter parents take note.) Btw, still no parental involvement, but definitely the kids are not on their own.

There's also an exploration of evil. Is it evil to use whatever means necessary to make changes that you know are for the better? (Um - yes - and if you show more don't understand, read the book.)

However, in the beginning, there are bits that indicate they're still kids. They get assigned Chewing Gum duty as punishment* (please do not stick your gum to the underside of the desks or shelves, either at school or in the library). And Kit copies Josh's homework at least once.

*And it is, unfortunately, just a punishment. Not a consequence & no relevance to what they did wrong. But sometimes we adults have to fall back on plain old-fashioned punishment, so, ok.

"Alita wasn't saying anything. She was just squealing like a Guinea pig who's eating too much sugar. Kit couldn't tell if she was scared or having the time of her life, or both."

"Nothing happened.
Nothing happened.
Some more nothing happened." show less

I received this through Library Thing Early Reads

Kit Spencer doesn’t like reading. The library is a complete bore. Outdoors playing is what she prefers.

Kit’s friends Josh and Alita love to read and can’t wait for the next book in the “Danny Fandango” series. They get Kit to agree to just stop by the library for them to see about the Danny Fandango book and for each of them to get a book to read. Kit could wait a short bit and then the three would be off to play.

They’re too late show more to get copies of the new Danny Fandango book, but the librarian offers up other books. Josh and Alita go off to read leaving Kit waiting. The librarian then turns to Kit and asks what stories she likes to read. “I don’t really like stories,” Kit replies. The librarian follows up asking what does Kit like to do. A selection is made and Kit is left on her own.

A glass bookcase, containing very old books, catches Kit’s eye. When she opens one of the books she has a very unusual experience and makes a surprising discovery – Kit is a wizard! It also turns out the librarian is a wizard too, and takes on Kit’s training.

While Kit helps at the library and gets her training, she finds the library isn’t a basic, standard library. It has some very unusual features in some of the books, some of the rooms and especially the fact that there is a dragon sleeping beneath the library!

When a particularly nasty business man claims to have bought the library and is going to tear it down, it is up to the librarian and Kit and her friends to find a way to save the library.

I enjoyed reading this book and think kids will too. The story line is interesting and moves at a good clip. The kids learn things such as responsibility, resourcefulness and being supportive of each other without being lectured on it. show less

Hey, everyone loves a good story...so why should it be any different for dragons?

Get ready for a fast paced, funny story filled with adventure, and baddies that NEEDED to be defeated...and all that is in addition to a nonreader discovering they have magical type powers that allow them to be transported into the stories that surround them, utilizing them as a sort of portal to...well, I can't really say because to do so would be I'd have to tamper with your memory after you read it and if I show more learned anything from Faith, the ultra cool "librarian" (that really IS one, but also not exactly!), that's ALWAYS a last resort!

Seriously though, readers of Middle Grade Fiction (and beyond!) will be enthralled by the diverse cast of characters, blown away by the mysteries of the library, and gasping for breath as we bounce from discovery to danger to all out you-must-perform-this-magic-or-it-just-might-be-the-end-of-it-before-it-really-begins moments! Kit is her own self, and happy to be that way, as are we to meet her! Her two best friends are different than her, but they celebrate each other's strengths and try to build each other up in times of weakness. She couldn't have asked for a better duo to share this MASSIVE secret with! Speaking of secrets, her new (maybe) instructor, Faith, is SO not your regular old wizened and bearded wizardy type teacher, but is a ROCKSTAR just the same.

All in all, a fabulous MUST READ that I can't wait to visit with again...and when the next installment launches, I AM SO THERE!


*copy received fore review; opinions are my own show less