Thursday, April 9, 2020

The Book of Fatal Errors by Dashka Slater - ESSENTIAL

The Book of Fatal Errors by Dashka Slater, 336 pages. Farrar Straus Giroux (MacMillan), 2020. $17.

Language: PG (1 swear 0 'f'); Mature Content: G; Violence: PG (peril, injury)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL 

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH 

12 yo Rufus is trying to avoid summer camp, so when Grandpa Jack breaks his arm in a fall, and Rufus dad decides that Grandpa's property - Feylawn, is too dangerous for Rufus to visit, he and his cousin Abigail come up with a way to spend some time there. You see, it seems to be overrun with angry fairies - that only Rufus and Abigail can see. The only way to stop the war and protect Grandpa Jack is to help the fairies find the thing they desperately need - the clues contained in a family jump rope rhyme written by their great grandmother - a famous children's book author.  

I loved this story! A solid middle grade novel with a brave boy as protagonist, a spunky fairy and plenty of bad guys - goblins and the like. An exciting page turner that caught me right away.  I was familiar with Dashka Slater as she wrote the 57 Bus, so I was intrigued that she had a middle grade novel as well. A brilliant story teller, Slater has filled The Book of Fatal Errors with unexpected twists, an engaging mystery and endearing characters, both human and magical. Oh, I do hope for a sequel!

Lisa Librarian

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