Thursday, September 23, 2004
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Previously I've read The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke; I really enjoyed it as did the 8and 11 yr old girls I recommended it to.
Inkheart is good in the ways that Thief Lord was good: rich language that uses context to introduce new vocabulary, interesting but flawed characters, and a world that is all too real in the details (sweat, bugs, dirt. weak bodies). There are many literary references in Inkheart. Every chapter starts with a quote and many characters and plots are mentioned within the story.
Meggie lives with her father Mo. Their lives revolve around reading and repairing books. They both read a lot and treasure books and Mo repairs and rebinds books. One night a weird stranger shows up at their house; he says his name is Dustfinger and he calls Mo "Silvertongue". He warns them that an evil man is after them. Mo tries to act unworried but he and Meggie prepare to flee. Dustfinger comes with them but he brings more trouble. It turns out that Mo has, in the past, read characters out of the world of their books into our world. Dustfinger and Capricorn (the evil man) are two of these characters. Unfortunately, when someone comes out of the book, someone or something goes into the book. Meggie's mother was the first victim to disappear into a book. Capricorn has tried to collect every copy of the book he came from so that he can destroy them and stay forever in this world. He and his ruthless band of henchmen will stop at nothing to get their way.
Can Meggie survive Capricorn? Will she, and her friends, find a way to stop him? Will Meggie and Mo ever find Meggie's mother? I'm not saying!
There is suspense and acts of violence against people and books are described. The power of intimidation and how it can limit instead of expand are brought into the story.
I'm recommending it to several girls 8,9,12, and 15 and to two boys 10,14. And to teachers of 4-6th grade classrooms and 7-8th grade classrooms.
Inkheart is good in the ways that Thief Lord was good: rich language that uses context to introduce new vocabulary, interesting but flawed characters, and a world that is all too real in the details (sweat, bugs, dirt. weak bodies). There are many literary references in Inkheart. Every chapter starts with a quote and many characters and plots are mentioned within the story.
Meggie lives with her father Mo. Their lives revolve around reading and repairing books. They both read a lot and treasure books and Mo repairs and rebinds books. One night a weird stranger shows up at their house; he says his name is Dustfinger and he calls Mo "Silvertongue". He warns them that an evil man is after them. Mo tries to act unworried but he and Meggie prepare to flee. Dustfinger comes with them but he brings more trouble. It turns out that Mo has, in the past, read characters out of the world of their books into our world. Dustfinger and Capricorn (the evil man) are two of these characters. Unfortunately, when someone comes out of the book, someone or something goes into the book. Meggie's mother was the first victim to disappear into a book. Capricorn has tried to collect every copy of the book he came from so that he can destroy them and stay forever in this world. He and his ruthless band of henchmen will stop at nothing to get their way.
Can Meggie survive Capricorn? Will she, and her friends, find a way to stop him? Will Meggie and Mo ever find Meggie's mother? I'm not saying!
There is suspense and acts of violence against people and books are described. The power of intimidation and how it can limit instead of expand are brought into the story.
I'm recommending it to several girls 8,9,12, and 15 and to two boys 10,14. And to teachers of 4-6th grade classrooms and 7-8th grade classrooms.
# posted by JJ @ 8:54 AM 
