The Emerald Tablet (MG)

Hoover, P.J. 2008. The Emerald Tablet. CBAY Books. 304 pages.

When Benjamin Holt saw his mom disappear into a pinprick of light, he shouldn't have been surprised; his life was already weird.

I loved this one. To the point that I wish I could go back in time and make myself read it earlier. Oh well. It's never too late to discover a book. Or to recommend it.

The Emerald Tablet is the first in a new series by P.J. Hoover. Fantasy. (I know some folks--cough, cough--don't need to add new fantasy series to their towering tbr piles and wishlists. But you should consider this one all the same.) Our hero is Benjamin Holt. He's on his way--a big surprise to him, by the way--to a special summer school. While there, he'll have quite the opportunity: saving the world, making friends, you know, the usual.

I knew I was going to like this one from the start. Its playful style--with everything being so matter of fact--charmed me.

Benjamin headed downstairs, dodging toy cars flying through the air. As with any morning, chaos had erupted. Becca, his eight month old sister, was crying, and Derrick and Douglas, his twin five year old brothers, were doing what they always did. Telekinesis. They were always levitating something. Benjamin's homework or Becca's rattle. One time they even levitated eggs. Nobody liked to talk about that. Today it was toy cars--no less than five each--racing around the room. It still irked Benjamin how good they were at telekinesis. When he'd been their age, he'd hardly been able to lift one--and that was on a good day. (4)

After he teleports to camp--to Lemuria--and learns more about being telegen, the adventure begins. But what is an adventure without an alliance of friends? There's no shortage here with Benjamin teaming up with fellow telegens and classmates: Andy, Gary, Iva, and Heidi. (And let's not forget Jack, a Nogical.)

This one is light, fun, and hard to put down.

Other reviews: Shelf Elf, Book Review Maniac and her 10 yr. sister, And Another Book Read, Presenting Lenore, The Book Muncher, The Story Siren.

© Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews