The Forgotten Book

Gr 7 Up—Emma attends Stolzenberg Academy, one of the most prestigious boarding schools in the world, but only because her father's the headmaster. After she returns from an awful vacation with her mother and her mother's new boyfriend, Emma discovers a book that makes everything go her way at school. But there's a dangerous element to it as well, and she must figure out a years-old mystery before it consumes her. When new boy Darcy de Winter arrives, ostensibly on a vacation around Europe, Emma is immediately suspicious, especially after Darcy locks her out of the castle library where she discovered the book. But once she realizes his connection to the mystery, they must team up to solve the case. A clever book with winks at Jane Austen novels, this boarding school story will also delight fantasy fans. Gläser is a strong writer, and the characters are likable, although the secondary characters tend to be less well rounded. The dialogue can be stilted and the novel's Austen homages make the ending predictable, but it is still a solid purchase.