Last of the Gullivers

Gr 5–8—The wind has been blowing as long as anyone can remember in Moss-on-Stone. Orphaned Michael Pine is 12 years old, directionless, and vulnerable to the demands of the local gang leader. "It's your time, Michael," Nick says, unknowingly communicating a greater fate than either boy could possibly imagine. When Michael discovers a village of little people (Lilliputians) living behind crazy old Lemuel Gulliver's cottage, his purpose in life becomes clear—he must protect these small folk from the dangers of the outside world. This becomes more challenging after Lemuel leaves to reunite with an old flame and Michael is framed for theft at the market where he works. He recruits his new friend Jane, a parochial-school girl looking to break free from her father's vigilant eye, to assist him. On the one hand, this follow-up to Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels serves as a fantasy adventure with a fresh, relatable protagonist to those unfamiliar with the classic. On the other hand, it's a smart, sophisticated nod to Swift's satirical original. Using the omniscient third-person point of view, Crocker develops Michael's character through the boy's actions and dialogue as well as the observations of others. With a deft hand, he shows readers that Michael is not as lost as he is believed to be, and that perhaps it's the leaders of the villages—both big and small—who should be concerned about the way their lives are blowing. Timely.—Alison O'Reilly, Suffolk Cooperative Library System, NY