The Fowl Twins

Gr 4-8–Based on the same Eurocentric adventure platform, The Fowl Twins transcends the original “Artemis Fowl” series. Welcome to a new level of zany ridiculousness with the warm-hearted interplay between Miles and Beckett, Artemis’s now 11-year-old twin brothers, as they fight together with a fairy creature against an elderly Duke and an evil nun, two of the most hilarious supervillains of all time. As his characters chase each other across Western Europe, Colfer mocks predictable tropes with ingeniously unexpected turns made possible by wacky technological or magical marvels and astounding physical feats. The wry narrator’s choice of metaphor and unique turns-of-phrase are as delightful as the action on the page. Masterful pacing includes complicated action sequences broken into different perspectives, with time sped up or slowed down to maximize both the reader’s excitement and their ability to revel in Miles’s cleverness, or to guess at Beckett’s hidden talents. Kids familiar with European landmarks will be especially pleased at glimpses of Amsterdam, Verona, and the Irish Coast; Spanish-speakers will appreciate the nefarious nun’s frequent exclamations. A handful of beloved characters from the original series make brief cameos.