By Margaret Peterson Haddix
4Rbooks: 4/6, grades 5+ - 8
Amazon rating: 4.7/5, grades 3-7
Good Reads: 3.89/5
Common Sense Media: 4.5/5, ages 9+
Pages 402
Synopsis:
The Greystone children, Chess, Emma, and Finn are home and so is their mom. Natalie and her mom have returned from the other world, too. Everything seems to be right again, but they are still worried. The openings between the worlds can still be accessed. The other world is still a horrible place led by evil Mr. Mayhew and other Natalie and her other world mom are still there.
Strange things start to occur. The Gustanos, the Greystone’s doubles, show up at the Greystone’s home wanting answers that could save their father. They realize they are being watched. Mysterious coins with messages, written and verbal, begin showing up. Before they know it, Chess, Emma, and Finn with new friends Rocky, Kona, and Kafi are back in the other world.
This begins a dangerous adventure for the kids. What are the coins and what do the messages mean? Why is everyone in the other world addicted to watching the TVs? Is their mom, and the others left behind, safe? How can they plan affect change and save the other world? Mostly, how can they get back home.
Parental Guidance: medium-high
The other world mayor and his guards invade the “real” world.
The mayor uses gas bombs to affect people’s perceptions and ability to
comprehend the world around them.
In the other world, TV’s are used as a form of mind control to keep the
population under control.
The mayor is ultimately planning a complete takeover of both worlds.
Children in various forms and stages of danger.
Recommendation:
This was definitely an improvement over book two, but not quite as good as the first book. The story started well, dragged a little in the middle (a lot of dialogue with minimal action), and then picked up again for a more interesting finish. I wish there had been parallel story lines, one following the Greystone children and the other their mom, Natalie and others left behind. Their story is covered in one paragraph at the conclusion. The finish of the book leaves the possibility that there will be future books in the series as they discover there aren’t just two worlds, but possibly thousands. I found this series interesting enough that I would probably pick up a fourth book, but I will be worried it won’t be worth my time.
Because of the mind control tools and evil intentions of the other world, this is a middle school book, maybe high fourth or fifth with parent guidance. For teachers, these could be good discussion books about government power and the good and bad ways it can be used.
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