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3.25 AVERAGE
3.25 AVERAGE
kitty_revolt's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
allaboutfrodo's review
3.0
In Behind the Bookcase by Mark Steensland, two kids go with their parents to the creepy house their grandmother lived in before she died. They are going to clear the house out and sell it. Sarah discovers the land of Scotopia behind the bookcase in her bedroom. There she meets a cat who identifies himself as the King of the Cats, as well as a walking hand with a large eye in the palm and a boy with only half a face. Sarah makes a terrible mistake and sets out to fix things. Along the way, she meets other odd people in Scotopia, bickers with her brother, and learns to be less afraid.
I found Behind the Bookcase to be a fairly routine fantasy about other worlds with entrances into ours. There are occasional bright moments, but the best thing about it is the atmospheric black and white drawings by Kelly Murphy.
The fantasy world of Scotopia is well built, with a map to help you visualize the layout (although I found the introduction of another world later in the book unnecessary and not very helpful to the plot). Young people who enjoy stories about children who misbehave, cause problems, and manage to put things right will probably enjoy Behind the Bookcase.
I read an advance reader’s copy of Behind the Bookcase. The jacket says it will be on sale on October 9, 2012.
I found Behind the Bookcase to be a fairly routine fantasy about other worlds with entrances into ours. There are occasional bright moments, but the best thing about it is the atmospheric black and white drawings by Kelly Murphy.
The fantasy world of Scotopia is well built, with a map to help you visualize the layout (although I found the introduction of another world later in the book unnecessary and not very helpful to the plot). Young people who enjoy stories about children who misbehave, cause problems, and manage to put things right will probably enjoy Behind the Bookcase.
I read an advance reader’s copy of Behind the Bookcase. The jacket says it will be on sale on October 9, 2012.
surlyseahag's review
2.0
I was so looking forward to this book. Any story with secret passages behind bookcases has the potential to be awesome, sadly, this book just wasn't. Simply put, the story was rushed and severely underdeveloped. There were too many holes and very little made any sense. The ending was also dreadful. It was both too easy and too unresolved at the same time. Super bummed by this one.
melissariggs's review
2.0
I really did not like the story. It reminded me a little of the Phantom Toll Booth, but it was not as "fleshed out" as I felt it could have been.
"Spending the summer at her grandmother's house is the last thing Sarah wants to do—especially now that Grandma Winnie has died—but she has no choice. Her parents have to fix the place up before they can sell it, and Sarah and her brother, Billy, have to help. But the tedious work turns into a thrilling mystery when Sarah discovers an unfinished letter her grandmother wrote: Strange things are happening behind the bookcase. . . . Sarah's mother dismisses the letter as one of Grandma Winnie's crazy stories, but Sarah does some investigating and makes a remarkable discovery: behind the bookcase is a doorway into Scotopia, the land where shadows come from. With a talking cat named Balthazat as her guide, Sarah begins an unforgettable adventure into a world filled with countless dangers. Who can she trust? And can she face her fears, not only in Scotopia, but also back at Grandma Winnie's house, where more secrets and strange goings-on await her?"
"Spending the summer at her grandmother's house is the last thing Sarah wants to do—especially now that Grandma Winnie has died—but she has no choice. Her parents have to fix the place up before they can sell it, and Sarah and her brother, Billy, have to help. But the tedious work turns into a thrilling mystery when Sarah discovers an unfinished letter her grandmother wrote: Strange things are happening behind the bookcase. . . . Sarah's mother dismisses the letter as one of Grandma Winnie's crazy stories, but Sarah does some investigating and makes a remarkable discovery: behind the bookcase is a doorway into Scotopia, the land where shadows come from. With a talking cat named Balthazat as her guide, Sarah begins an unforgettable adventure into a world filled with countless dangers. Who can she trust? And can she face her fears, not only in Scotopia, but also back at Grandma Winnie's house, where more secrets and strange goings-on await her?"
kcvmoundshroud's review
4.0
This fast-paced magical adventure was filled with original characters, imaginative plot-twists, and simple but believable characters. There was basic but creative world-building and beautiful imagery. I loved the author’s concept of the borders of life & death and I was hoping for a sequel to continue the journey. Maybe someday!
elisezieber's review
4.0
Re-reading this book because Im trying to get inspiration from books anything like Alice in wonderland. My younger self (maybe 4th or 5th grade?) really loved this book and the eeriness of it. I try not to revisit my childhood books, as they will seem much different to my adult self, but i made an exception for this one.
tangee22's review
3.0
This was an interesting read. There were times I had to take a break from reading because it seemed to drag on a bit and truthfully when I finished reading it, I realized that a lot of the "drag on" parts could have been removed before print.
gorelenore's review
5.0
Background: Sarah and Billy are brother and sister and have come to their grandmothers old house to pack it up to sell it with their parents. The problem is, that while there, the children find out that behind the bookcases are secret passageways to other worlds and that their grandmother had a very important job to do.
Review: Go get this book for yourself, your children, your grandparents, it is adorable and full of surprises. There are illustrations throughout the book and they just add to its wonder. I loved the characters, Sarah and Billy act their ages and are also brave and defiant. The plot is adorable and I absolutely loved it. I am a huge fan of books and bookcases and I think that it would be amazing if there really were other worlds behind them, kind of like a play on books themselves- you can dive right into something completely different. I think that this book is great for all ages. I received an e-copy to review, but immediately went out and bought the hardback. I plan on passing it along to my sister and then friends. So cute!
Review: Go get this book for yourself, your children, your grandparents, it is adorable and full of surprises. There are illustrations throughout the book and they just add to its wonder. I loved the characters, Sarah and Billy act their ages and are also brave and defiant. The plot is adorable and I absolutely loved it. I am a huge fan of books and bookcases and I think that it would be amazing if there really were other worlds behind them, kind of like a play on books themselves- you can dive right into something completely different. I think that this book is great for all ages. I received an e-copy to review, but immediately went out and bought the hardback. I plan on passing it along to my sister and then friends. So cute!
isolde137's review
3.0
I was 40 pages in when I realized I'd read this book before - and I stick with my 3 stars. One, it wasn't remarkable enough that I remembered reading it, and two, it's just... superficial. I feel bad saying that, but I can't get vested in any of the characters, and the main character is bossy and arrogant...
Oh well.
Oh well.
emburklin's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.75