Reckless

Gr 7—10—Ever since his father's disappearance when he was a child, Jacob Reckless has used the mirror in the study to travel to a fairy tale world as an escape and in the vain hope of finding his father. Now an adult, Jacob has been careful to keep his travels to the Mirrorworld a secret for years, but his brother Will follows him on one trip, with potentially fatal consequences. Caught up in a war between the humans in the Mirrorworld and the Goyl, a race of human-like figures with skin of stone, Will falls victim to a fairy's curse and is turning into a Goyl. In a desperate race against time to save his brother from this fate, Jacob leads a group through the dark and dangerous Mirrorworld, searching for a cure. Cornelia Funke's story (Little, Brown, 2010) features another intriguing world ripe for exploration, and Elliot Hill's solid narration breathes life into her colorful cast of characters. He creates unique voices for the many characters: adding a sniveling quality to the opportunistic dwarf Jacob coerces into helping him, giving the human Empress's voice an appropriately regal tone, and making Will's voice more detached and distant as the stone spreads through his body. The story is told primarily from Jacob's point of view, and occasionally it is difficult to distinguish his thoughts from spoken dialogue, but this is a small quibble in an otherwise well-executed performance. Fans will eagerly await a sequel.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL