About the Author:
Adam Osterweil grew up in Plainview, New York. He graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. in Classics and from Stony Brook University with an M.A. in Liberal Studies. He teaches junior high English at Springs School in Springs, New York. His hobbies include treasure hunting, playing video games, and collecting comic books.
Peter Thorpe began drawing and painting at an early age. He studied commercial art at the California College of Arts & Crafts and then moved to New York City, where he worked as an editorial and advertising illustrator. He has created book covers for over forty editions of Tony Hillerman's mysteries and the cover for Garrison Keillor's best-selling Lake Wobegon Days. Peter lives in Asheville, North Carolina.
From School Library Journal:
Grade 4-7–A blue-haired 12-year-old starts a quest against evil in this lighthearted fantasy adventure. Kiffin's companions include a shape-shifting yerble, a giggly giant, and twin female warriors, among others. They race the Gremlin of Mischief and other bad guys, hoping to find the magical treasure that will swing the balance of power back toward the forces of good. Traveling around the planet of Talus Scree, the heroes descend the Waterfall of Doom, get slimed by Utopian Sauce, and destroy the orb of everlasting darkness by smacking it with a fish. Magic rocks provide various powers to aid both sides in the conflict, while Kiffin hopes to find one powerful enough to heal his sick mother. The nonstop action moves with the pace of a video game, and is interspersed with occasionally funny wisecracks and background about the planet's magical history. As one perilous situation leads to the next, it's hard to get truly involved in the characters or care much about the final result. Events often occur arbitrarily, with no real sense of danger, and the personalities of the one-dimensional cast are almost interchangeable. Even the death of Kiffin's mother lacks emotional impact. The trade-off, though, is a fast-paced, easy-to-follow adventure with a flippant tone that places humor and action over emotional depth. Seasoned fantasy readers will likely find this a slight novel, but it may be just the thing for some reluctant readers, especially fans of graphic novels and video games.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR
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